1Ära ole kärme suuga ja su süda ärgu tõtaku sõna lausuma Jumala ees; sest Jumal on taevas ja sina oled maa peal, seepärast olgu su sõnu pisut!
1Guard your steps when you go to God’s house; for to draw near to listen is better than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they don’t know that they do evil.
2Sest suurest tööst tuleb uni ja paljudest sõnadest kostab albi hääl.
2Don’t be rash with your mouth, and don’t let your heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and you on earth. Therefore let your words be few.
3Kui sa annad Jumalale tõotuse, siis ära viivita seda täitmast, sest albid ei ole temale meelepärased. Täida, mida tõotad!
3For as a dream comes with a multitude of cares, so a fool’s speech with a multitude of words.
4Parem on, et sa ei tõota, kui et sa tõotad ega täida.
4When you vow a vow to God, don’t defer to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay that which you vow.
5Ära lase, et sinu suu saadab su ihu pattu tegema, ja ära ütle Jumala käskjala ees, et see on eksitus! Miks peaks Jumal su hääle pärast vihastama ja su kätetööd hävitama?
5It is better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay.
6Sest kus on palju unenägusid ja palju sõnu, seal on ka palju tühisust. Aga sina karda Jumalat!
6Don’t allow your mouth to lead you into sin. Don’t protest before the messenger that this was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice, and destroy the work of your hands?
7Kui sa näed, et maal rõhutakse vaest ja et õigus ja õiglus kistakse käest, siis ära selle üle imesta; sest ülemuse üle valvab ülemus ja nende üle on veelgi ülemaid.
7For in the multitude of dreams there are vanities, as well as in many words: but you must fear God.
8Aga maale on kindlasti kasulik, et viljeldavatel põldudel oleks kuningas.
8If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a district, don’t marvel at the matter: for one official is eyed by a higher one; and there are officials over them.
9Ei küllastu iialgi rahast, kes armastab raha, ja tulust, kes armastab rikkust. Seegi on tühi töö!
9Moreover the profit of the earth is for all. The king profits from the field.
10Kui varandust saab palju, siis on ka selle sööjaid palju; ja mis muud kasu on selle omanikul, kui et ta silmad seda näevad.
10He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase: this also is vanity.
11Töötegija uni on magus, söögu ta pisut või palju; aga rikka üliküllus ei lase teda magada.
11When goods increase, those who eat them are increased; and what advantage is there to its owner, except to feast on them with his eyes?
12Ma nägin rasket õnnetust päikese all: säilitatud rikkus on omanikule enesele õnnetuseks.
12The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not allow him to sleep.
13Kui see rikkus õnnetusjuhtumi läbi kaob, temale oli aga sündinud poeg, siis ei jää selle kätte midagi.
13There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm.
14Nõnda nagu ta oma ema ihust oli tulnud, nõnda läheb ta jälle tagasi alasti, nagu ta tuligi, ega saa oma vaevast midagi, mida oma käega võiks kaasa viia.
14Those riches perish by misfortune, and if he has fathered a son, there is nothing in his hand.
15Raske õnnetus on siis seegi: nagu ta oli tulnud, nõnda ta läheb, ja mis kasu on temal, et ta vaev on tuulde läinud?
15As he came forth from his mother’s womb, naked shall he go again as he came, and shall take nothing for his labor, which he may carry away in his hand.
16Ta veedab kõik oma päevad pimeduses ning tunneb palju tuska, haigust ja meelepaha.
16This also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go. And what profit does he have who labors for the wind?
17Vaata, mida ma olen näinud olevat hea ja ilus: süüa ja juua ning nautida head, hoolimata kogu oma vaevast, millega keegi ennast vaevab päikese all oma üürikesil elupäevil, mis Jumal temale on andnud - sest see on tema osa.
17All his days he also eats in darkness, he is frustrated, and has sickness and wrath.
18Seegi on Jumala and, kui Jumal annab mõnele inimesele rikkust ja vara ning lubab tal seda nautida, sellest oma osa võtta ja rõõmus olla oma vaeva viljast.
18Behold, that which I have seen to be good and proper is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion.
19Sest siis ta ei mõtle nii palju oma elupäevadele, kuna Jumal paneb teda tegelema tema südame rõõmuga.
19Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat of it, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God.
20For he shall not often reflect on the days of his life; because God occupies him with the joy of his heart.