Salamans Mācītājs 7
1 Laba slava ir labāka nekā salda eļļa, un miršanas diena labāka nekā dzimšanas diena.
A good reputation is better than expensive perfume, and the day you die is better than the day you were born.
2 Labāki ir vaidu namā iet nekā dzīru namā; jo tas ir visu cilvēku gals, un tas, kas dzīvo, to ņem pie sirds.
It's better to go to a funeral than to a party. In the end, everyone dies, and those who are still alive should think about it.
3 Noskumt ir labāki nekā smieties; jo kad vaigs noskumis, tas sirdij labi.
Sorrow is better than laughter, for tragedy helps us by making us think.
4 Gudru ļaužu sirds ir vaidu namā, bet ģeķu sirds ir prieku namā.
Wise people think about the impact of death, while those who are fools only think about having a good time.
5 Labāk ir klausīties gudra vīra rāšanu, nekā klausīties ģeķa dziesmu.
It's better to listen to criticism from a wise person than to hear the song of fools.
6 Jo kā ērkšķi sprakst apakš poda, tāpat ir ģeķa smiešanās, - tā ir arī niecība.
The laughter of fools is like the crackling of thorn twigs burning under a pot—without sense and quickly over.
7 Tiešām, netaisna peļņa arī gudru padara neprātīgu, un dāvanas samaitā sirdi.
Extorting money from others makes wise people into fools, and accepting bribes corrupts the mind.
8 Labāks ir kādas lietas gals nekā viņas iesākums. Lēnprātīgais ir labāks nekā lepnais.
Completing something is better than starting it. Being patient is better than being proud.
9 Neesi ātrs savā prātā dusmot, jo dusmība mājo ģeķu azotē.
Don't be quick to get angry, for anger controls the minds of fools.
10 Nesaki: kā tas nāk, ka senās dienas bijušas labākas nekā šīs! Jo ar gudrību tu to nevaicā.
Don't ask, “Why were the good old days better than now?” Asking such questions shows you are not wise.
11 Gudrība ir tik laba kā mantība un labums tiem, kas sauli redz.
Wisdom is good—it's like receiving an inheritance. It benefits everyone in life.
12 Jo gudrības pavēnī ir kā naudas pavēnī; un tas ir atzīšanas labums, ka gudrība dod dzīvību tiem, kam tā ir.
For wisdom provides security, as does money, but the advantage for those who have wisdom is that they are kept safe and sound!
13 Uzlūko Dieva darbu, jo kas to var darīt taisnu, ko viņš ir darījis līku?
Think about what God does. If he makes something bent, you can't straighten it!
14 Baudi labumu labā dienā, bet ļaunu dienu ņem arī par labu; jo Dievs dara gan šo gan to, tāpēc ka cilvēkam nebūs zināt, kas būs pēc viņa.
On a good day, be happy. When a bad day comes, stop and think. God made each day, so you don't know what will happen to you next.
15 Visu to esmu redzējis savas niecības dienās: Cits ir taisns, kas savā taisnībā iet bojā, un cits ir bezdievīgs, kas savā blēdībā ilgi pastāv.
Throughout my life I've seen so much that is hard to understand. Good people who die young despite doing what is right, and wicked people who live long evil lives.
16 Neesi pārlieku taisns un neturies pats par visai gudru, - kāpēc tu gribi iet bojā?
Don't think you can make yourself right by a lot of religious observance, and don't pretend to be so wise. Do you want to destroy yourself?
17 Neesi pārlieku bezdievīgs, un neesi visai ģeķīgs; kāpēc tu gribi nomirt nelaikā?
On the other hand, don't decide to live an evil life—don't be a fool! Why die before your time?
18 Labi ir, ka tu šo satver un arī no tā otra savu roku neatrauj; jo kas Dievu bīstas, tas no visa tā izsprūk.
You ought to keep in mind these warnings. Those who follow God will be sure to avoid both.
19 Gudrība stiprina gudro vairāk nekā desmit vareni, kas ir pilsētā.
Wisdom gives a wise person greater power than ten town councilors.
20 Tiešām, nav neviena cilvēka, kas taisns būtu virs zemes, kas labi darītu un negrēkotu.
There's not one good person in all the world who always does what is right and never sins.
21 Neliec arī vērā visus vārdus, kas top runāti, lai tev nav jādzird, ka tavs kalps tev lād.
Don't take to heart everything that people say, otherwise you may hear your servant talking badly about you,
22 Jo daudzkārt arī tava sirds zin, ka arī tu citus esi lādējis.
for you know how many times you yourself have talked badly about others!
23 Visu šo es ar gudrību esmu izmeklējis. Es sacīju: es dabūšu gudrību, bet viņa bija vēl tālu no manis.
I have examined all this using the principles of wisdom. I told myself, “I will think wisely.” But wisdom eluded me.
24 Tālu ir, kas ir, un ļoti dziļš; kas to var atrast?
Everything that exists is beyond our grasp—too deep for our understanding. Who can comprehend it?
25 Es griezos ar savu sirdi, ka es zinātu un izvaicātu un meklētu gudrību un skaidrību, un ka es atzītu bezdievību par ģeķību un neprātību par nelietību.
I turned my thoughts to discover, investigate, and to find out more about wisdom and what makes sense. I wanted to know more about how stupid evil really is, and how ridiculous it is to be a fool.
26 Un es atradu vienu lietu rūgtāku nekā nāvi: sievu, kā sirds ir tīkli un valgi un kā rokas ir saites. Kas labs ir Dieva priekšā, tas no viņas izglābsies, bet grēcinieks caur viņu taps sagūstīts.
I discovered something more horrible than death: foolishness like a woman who tries to entrap you, who wants to use her mind and hands to catch you and tie you up. Those who follow God will not be caught, but sinners will fall into her trap.
27 Redzi, šo esmu atradis, saka tas mācītājs, citu pēc cita, ka es to galavārdu atrastu.
This is what I discovered after putting two and two together to try and find out what it all meant, says the Teacher.
28 To mana dvēsele vēl meklē, un to es vēl neesmu atradis: Starp tūkstošiem es vienu vīru esmu atradis, bet sievu starp šiem visiem es neesmu atradis.
Although I really searched, I didn't find what I was looking for. People say, “I found one man among a thousand, but not one woman.”
29 Bet redzi, to tikai es esmu atradis, ka Dievs cilvēku ir radījis taisnu, bet tie dodas uz daudz gudrošanām.
But I did find this one thing: God made people to do what's right, but they have followed their own ideas.
