1Aus nimi on parem kui kallis võideõli ja surmapäev on parem kui sünnipäev.
1A good name is better than fine perfume; and the day of death better than the day of one’s birth.
2Parem on minna leinakotta kui pidukotta, sest seal on kõigi inimeste lõpp, ja kes elab, võtku see südamesse!
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 should take this to heart.
3Parem on meelehärm kui naer, sest kurb nägu on südamele hea.
3Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the face the heart is made good.
4Tarkade süda on leinakojas, aga alpide süda on rõõmukojas.
4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5Parem on kuulata targa sõitlust kui alpide laulu.
5It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6Sest otsekui kibuvitste praksumine paja all on albi naer. Seegi on tühi töö.
6For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.
7Tõesti, rõhumine teeb targa rumalaks ja pistis rikub südant.
7Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding.
8Asja lõpp on parem kui selle algus; kannatlikkus on parem kui ülbus.
8Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9Ära lase oma meelt kergesti saada pahaseks, sest pahameel asub alpide põues!
9Don’t be hasty in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.
10Ära ütle: 'Miks olid endised ajad paremad kui nüüdsed?' Sest seda sa ei küsi targasti.
10Don’t say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not ask wisely about this.
11Tarkus on niisama hea kui pärisosa, ja kasuks neile, kes päikest näevad.
11Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.
12Sest tarkuse varjus on nagu raha varjus; aga teadmise kasu on see, et tarkus hoiab elus selle omaniku.
12For wisdom is a defense, even as money is a defense; but the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.
13Vaata Jumala tööd: sest kes suudaks õgvendada, mida tema on teinud kõveraks?
13Consider the work of God, for who can make that straight, which he has made crooked?
14Heal päeval olgu sul hea meel, ja kurjal päeval mõtle järele: Jumal on teinud nii selle kui teise, et inimene ei teaks, mis tal ees seisab.
14In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yes, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him.
15Kõike olen ma näinud oma tühiseil päevil: õiglane hukkub oma õigluses ja õel elab kaua oma kurjuses.
15All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in his evildoing.
16Ära ole liiga õiglane ja ära pea ennast väga targaks: miks peaksid ennast hävitama?
16Don’t be overly righteous, neither make yourself overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
17Ära ole liiga õel ja ära ole alp: miks tahad enneaegu surra?
17Don’t be too wicked, neither be foolish. Why should you die before your time?
18Hea on, kui sa ühest kinni pead ja ka teisest oma kätt lahti ei lase, sest kes Jumalat kardab, pääseb neist kõigist.
18It is good that you should take hold of this. Yes, also from that don’t withdraw your hand; for he who fears God will come forth from them all.
19Tarkus annab targale rohkem kindlust kui kümme valitsejat linnas.
19Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.
20Sest ükski inimene ei ole maa peal nii õige, et ta teeks ainult head, aga mitte kunagi pattu.
20Surely there is not a righteous man on earth, who does good and doesn’t sin.
21Ära pane tähele ka mitte kõiki sõnu, mida räägitakse, et sa ei kuuleks, kui su sulane sind sajatab.
21Also don’t take heed to all words that are spoken, lest you hear your servant curse you;
22Sest su süda ju teab, et ka sina oled palju kordi sajatanud teisi.
22for often your own heart knows that you yourself have likewise cursed others.
23Seda kõike ma olen tarkusega läbi katsunud. Ma ütlesin: 'Ma saan targemaks', aga see jäi minust kaugele.
23All this have I proved in wisdom. I said, “I will be wise”; but it was far from me.
24See, mis on, on kauge ja sügav, väga sügav. Kes selle leiab?
24That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out?
25Ma pöörasin ka oma südame tunnetama ja uurima ning otsima tarkust ja põhjust, ja tunnetama õeluse alpust ja sõgeduse meeletust.
25I turned around, and my heart sought to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity, and that foolishness is madness.
26Ja ma leidsin, mis on kibedam surmast: naine! Ta on otsekui püünis: ta süda on nagu võrk, ta käed on nagu ahelad. Kes Jumalale meeldib, see pääseb temast, aga patuse püüab ta kinni.
26I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and traps, whose hands are chains. Whoever pleases God shall escape from her; but the sinner will be ensnared by her.
27Vaata, seda ma olen leidnud, ütleb Koguja, ühte teisega võrreldes, et leida lahendust,
27“Behold, I have found this,” says the Preacher, “one to another, to find out the scheme;
28mida mu hing veel otsib ega ole leidnud: ma leidsin tuhande hulgast ühe mehe, aga naist ei ole ma nende kõigi hulgast leidnud.
28which my soul still seeks; but I have not found. One man among a thousand have I found; but I have not found a woman among all those.
29Vaata, ma olen leidnud ainult seda, et Jumal on inimesed loonud ausaks, aga nad ise leiutavad rohkesti riukaid.
29Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they search for many schemes.”