1A [good] name is better than precious oil; and the day of death, than the day of one's birth.
1Nama harum lebih baik daripada minyak bernilai tinggi; dan hari kematian lebih baik daripada hari jadi.
2It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
2Lebih baik pergi ke rumah duka daripada ke tempat pesta. Sebab kita harus selalu mengenang bahwa maut menunggu setiap orang.
3Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made glad.
3Kesedihan lebih baik daripada tawa. Biar wajah murung, asal hati lega.
4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
4Orang bodoh terus mengejar kesenangan; orang arif selalu memikirkan kematian.
5It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
5Lebih baik ditegur oleh orang yang berbudi, daripada dipuji oleh orang yang sukar mengerti.
6For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
6Tawa orang bodoh tidak berarti, seperti bunyi duri dimakan api.
7Surely extortion maketh the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroyeth the understanding.
7Jika orang arif menipu, bodohlah tindakannya; jika orang menerima uang suap, rusaklah wataknya.
8Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; [and] the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
8Lebih baik akhir suatu perkara daripada permulaannya; lebih baik bersabar daripada terlalu bangga.
9Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
9Jangan buru-buru naik pitam; hanya orang bodoh menyimpan dendam.
10Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
10Janganlah bertanya, "Mengapa zaman dulu lebih baik daripada zaman sekarang?" Hanya orang dungu yang bertanya begitu.
11Wisdom is as good as an inheritance; yea, more excellent is it for them that see the sun.
11Orang hidup seharusnya berhikmat; nilai hikmat sama dengan warisan;
12For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it.
12sama pula dengan uang pemberi rasa aman. Apalagi pengetahuan tentang hikmat! Siapa memilikinya akan selamat.
13Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
13Perhatikanlah pekerjaan Allah. Sebab siapa dapat meluruskan apa yang dibengkokkan Allah?
14In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yea, God hath made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything [that shall be] after him.
14Jadi, bergembiralah jika engkau sedang mujur. Tetapi kalau engkau ditimpa bencana, jangan lupa bahwa Allah memberikan kedua-duanya. Kita tak tahu apa yang terjadi selanjutnya.
15All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth [his life] in his evil-doing.
15Hidupku tak ada gunanya, tetapi selama hidupku itu kulihat yang berikut ini: Ada kalanya orang yang baik binasa, walaupun dia saleh. Adakalanya orang yang jahat panjang umurnya, walaupun dia terus berdosa.
16Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
16Janganlah terlalu baik dan jangan pula terlalu bijaksana. Apa gunanya bunuh diri?
17Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
17Jangan juga terlalu jahat atau terlalu dungu. Untuk apa mati sebelum waktunya?
18It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth from them all.
18Hindarilah kedua-duanya tadi. Jika kita takut kepada Allah, pastilah kita berhasil baik.
19Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city.
19Hikmat membuat pemiliknya lebih perkasa daripada sepuluh penguasa di sebuah kota.
20Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
20Di bumi ini tak ada orang yang sempurna; tak ada yang selalu berbuat baik dan tak pernah berdosa.
21Also take not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee;
21Jangan suka mendengarkan omongan-omongan, siapa tahu kau sedang dikutuk seorang pelayan.
22for oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
22Engkau sendiri pun menyadari bahwa orang lain pernah juga kaukutuki.
23All this have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
23Semua itu kuuji dengan hikmatku. Namun semakin kucari hikmat itu, semakin jauh ia daripadaku.
24That which is, is far off and exceeding deep; who can find it out?
24Siapa dapat menemukan arti hidup ini? Terlalu dalam untuk dapat dimengerti!
25I turned about, and my heart [was set] to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason [of things], and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness.
25Namun aku tekun belajar dan mencari pengetahuan, supaya mendapat hikmat dan jawaban atas segala pertanyaan. Aku mencoba mengerti bahwa dosa itu kebodohan, dan kejahatan adalah kenekatan.
26And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, [and] whose hands are bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
26Aku mendapati bahwa wanita lebih pahit daripada maut. Cinta wanita seperti jala dan perangkap yang siap menangkap mangsanya. Pelukannya seperti belenggu yang mengikat erat. Orang yang melakukan kehendak Allah terhindar dari jeratnya, tapi orang berdosa pasti akan ditawannya.
27Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher, [laying] one thing to another, to find out the account;
27Lihat, kata Sang Pemikir: Semua itu kutemukan, ketika langkah demi langkah kucari jawaban.
28which my soul still seeketh, but I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
28Masih juga aku mencari jawaban-jawaban lain, namun tidak berhasil. Di antara seribu orang, kudapati seorang laki-laki yang kuhormati. Tetapi di antara mereka tak ada wanita yang dapat kuhargai.
29Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
29Hanya inilah yang kudapat: Allah membuat kita sederhana dan biasa. Tetapi kita sendirilah yang membuat diri kita rumit dan berbelit-belit.