1But all this I have laid unto my heart, so as to clear up the whole of this, that the righteous and the wise, and their works, [are] in the hand of God, neither love nor hatred doth man know, the whole [is] before them.
1Jah, seda kõike ma võtsin oma südamesse ja seda kõike ma selgitasin, et õiged ja targad ning nende teod on Jumala käes, nõndasamuti armastus ja vihkamine; inimesed ei tea midagi, neile võib kõike juhtuda.
2The whole [is] as to the whole; one event is to the righteous and to the wicked, to the good, and to the clean, and to the unclean, and to him who is sacrificing, and to him who is not sacrificing; as [is] the good, so [is] the sinner, he who is swearing as he who is fearing an oath.
2Kõik on ühine kõigile: sama juhtub õigele ja õelale, heale ja kurjale, puhtale ja roojasele, ohverdajale ja sellele, kes ei ohverda; nagu heale, nõnda patusele, nagu vandeandjale, nõnda vandekartjale.
3This [is] an evil among all that hath been done under the sun, that one event [is] to all, and also the heart of the sons of man is full of evil, and madness [is] in their heart during their life, and after it — unto the dead.
3See on õnnetuseks kõigele, mis päikese all sünnib; kõigil on ju sama osa. Inimlaste süda on täis kurjust ja neil on nende eluajal südames meeletus, ja siis - surnute juurde!
4But [to] him who is joined unto all the living there is confidence, for to a living dog it [is] better than to the dead lion.
4Kuid sellel, kes alles seltsib kõigi elavatega, on veel lootust. Tõesti, elus koer on parem kui surnud lõvi.
5For the living know that they die, and the dead know not anything, and there is no more to them a reward, for their remembrance hath been forgotten.
5Sest elavad teavad, et nad peavad surema, aga surnud ei tea enam midagi ja neil pole enam palka, sest mälestus neist ununeb.
6Their love also, their hatred also, their envy also, hath already perished, and they have no more a portion to the age in all that hath been done under the sun.
6Niihästi nende armastus kui viha, samuti nende armukadeduski on ammu kadunud ja neil ei ole iialgi enam osa kõigest sellest, mis päikese all sünnib.
7Go, eat with joy thy bread, and drink with a glad heart thy wine, for already hath God been pleased with thy works.
7Mine söö rõõmuga oma leiba ja joo rahuliku südamega oma veini, sest Jumal on juba ammu su teod heaks kiitnud!
8At all times let thy garments be white, and let not perfume be lacking on thy head.
8Su riided olgu alati valged ja ärgu puudugu õli su pea peal!
9See life with the wife whom thou hast loved, all the days of the life of thy vanity, that He hath given to thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity, for it [is] thy portion in life, even of thy labour that thou art labouring at under the sun.
9Naudi elu naisega, keda sa armastad, kõigil oma tühise elu päevil, mis sulle on antud päikese all - kõigil oma tühiseil päevil, sest see on su osa elus ja vaevas, mida sa näed päikese all!
10All that thy hand findeth to do, with thy power do, for there is no work, and device, and knowledge, and wisdom in Sheol whither thou art going.
10Tee oma jõudu mööda kõike, mida su käsi suudab korda saata, sest surmavallas, kuhu sa lähed, ei ole tööd ega toimetust, tunnetust ega tarkust!
11I have turned so as to see under the sun, that not to the swift [is] the race, nor to the mighty the battle, nor even to the wise bread, nor even to the intelligent wealth, nor even to the skilful grace, for time and chance happen with them all.
11Taas nägin ma päikese all, et jooks ei olene kärmeist ega sõda sangareist; samuti ei olene leib tarkadest, rikkus mõistlikest ega menu osavaist, vaid aeg ja saatus tabab neid kõiki.
12For even man knoweth not his time; as fish that are taken hold of by an evil net, and as birds that are taken hold of by a snare, like these [are] the sons of man snared at an evil time, when it falleth upon them suddenly.
12Sest inimene ju ei tea oma aega nagu kaladki, keda püütakse kurja võrguga, või nagu paelaga püütavad linnud; nagu neid, nõnda püütakse inimlapsigi kurjal ajal, kui see äkitselt neid tabab.
13This also I have seen: wisdom under the sun, and it is great to me.
13Sedagi tarkust ma nägin päikese all, ja see oli minu meelest suur:
14A little city, and few men in it, and a great king hath come unto it, and hath surrounded it, and hath built against it great bulwarks;
14oli väike linn ja selles vähe mehi; suur kuningas tuli selle alla, piiras seda ja ehitas selle vastu suured piiramistornid.
15and there hath been found in it a poor wise man, and he hath delivered the city by his wisdom, and men have not remembered that poor man!
15Seal leidus vaene tark mees, kes oma tarkusega oleks võinud linna päästa; aga ükski inimene ei mõelnud sellele vaesele mehele.
16And I said, `Better [is] wisdom than might, and the wisdom of the poor is despised, and his words are not heard.` —
16Siis ma ütlesin: Tarkus on parem kui ramm, aga vaese tarkust põlatakse ja tema sõnu ei võeta kuulda.
17The words of the wise in quiet are heard, More than the cry of a ruler over fools.
17Tarkade sõnad, mida rahulikult kuuldakse, on paremad kui valitseja karjumine alpide seas.
18Better [is] wisdom than weapons of conflict, And one sinner destroyeth much good!
18Tarkus on parem kui sõjariistad, aga üksainus patune rikub palju head.