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.
1For all this I laid to my heart and [indeed] to investigate all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; man knoweth neither love nor hatred: all is before them.
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.
2All things [come] alike to all: one event to the righteous and to the wicked, to the good, and to the clean, and to the unclean, to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.
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!
3This is an evil among all that is done under the sun, that one thing befalleth all: yea, also the heart of the children of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live; and after that, [they have to go] to the dead.
4Kuid sellel, kes alles seltsib kõigi elavatega, on veel lootust. Tõesti, elus koer on parem kui surnud lõvi.
4For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
5Sest elavad teavad, et nad peavad surema, aga surnud ei tea enam midagi ja neil pole enam palka, sest mälestus neist ununeb.
5For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward, for the memory of them is forgotten.
6Niihästi nende armastus kui viha, samuti nende armukadeduski on ammu kadunud ja neil ei ole iialgi enam osa kõigest sellest, mis päikese all sünnib.
6Their love also, and their hatred, and their envy is already perished; neither have they any more for ever a portion in all that is done under the sun.
7Mine söö rõõmuga oma leiba ja joo rahuliku südamega oma veini, sest Jumal on juba ammu su teod heaks kiitnud!
7Go, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God hath already accepted thy works.
8Su riided olgu alati valged ja ärgu puudugu õli su pea peal!
8Let thy garments be always white, and let not thy head lack oil.
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!
9Enjoy life with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity; for that is thy portion in life, and in thy labour wherein thou art labouring under the sun.
10Tee oma jõudu mööda kõike, mida su käsi suudab korda saata, sest surmavallas, kuhu sa lähed, ei ole tööd ega toimetust, tunnetust ega tarkust!
10Whatever thy hand findeth to do, do with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, whither thou goest.
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.
11I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to the intelligent, nor yet favour to men of knowledge; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
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.
12For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are taken with the snare, like them are the children of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.
13Sedagi tarkust ma nägin päikese all, ja see oli minu meelest suur:
13This also have I seen as wisdom under the sun, and it was great unto me.
14oli väike linn ja selles vähe mehi; suur kuningas tuli selle alla, piiras seda ja ehitas selle vastu suured piiramistornid.
14There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and encompassed it, and built great bulwarks against it:
15Seal leidus vaene tark mees, kes oma tarkusega oleks võinud linna päästa; aga ükski inimene ei mõelnud sellele vaesele mehele.
15and there was found in it a poor wise man, who by his wisdom delivered the city; but no man remembered that poor man.
16Siis ma ütlesin: Tarkus on parem kui ramm, aga vaese tarkust põlatakse ja tema sõnu ei võeta kuulda.
16Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength; but the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
17Tarkade sõnad, mida rahulikult kuuldakse, on paremad kui valitseja karjumine alpide seas.
17The words of the wise are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.
18Tarkus on parem kui sõjariistad, aga üksainus patune rikub palju head.
18Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroyeth much good.