1In obrnil sem se in sem videl vse stiskanje, kar se ga godi pod solncem; in glej, solze stiskanih, in niso imeli tolažitelja; in na strani njih tlačiteljev je bila moč in ni jim bilo tolažitelja.
1Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold, the tears of those who were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.
2Zato sem blagroval mrtve, ki so bili davno umrli, bolj nego žive, ki so še v življenju;
2Therefore I praised the dead who have been long dead more than the living who are yet alive.
3in za srečnejšega nego oboje sem štel njega, ki ga še ni bilo, ki še ni videl zlega dejanja, ki se godi pod solncem.
3Yes, better than them both is him who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
4Tedaj sem videl ves trud in ves uspeh v delu, da zaradi tega zavidajo drug drugemu. Tudi to je ničemurnost in lovljenje vetra!
4Then I saw all the labor and achievement that is the envy of a man’s neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
5Bedak sklepa roke in jé svoje lastno meso.
5The fool folds his hands together and ruins himself.
6Boljša je peščica s pokojem nego dve pesti, polni truda in lovljenja vetra.
6Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and chasing after wind.
7In obrnil sem se in sem videl ničemurnost pod solncem:
7Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.
8Samec je in nima druga, tudi nima sina, ne brata, a mnogemu trudu njegovemu ni konca; pri vsem tem se ne nasitijo bogastva oči njegove. Ne misli: Za koga se trudim in kratim duši svoji dobro? Tudi to je ničemurnost in prehudo opravilo.
8There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. “For whom then, do I labor, and deprive my soul of enjoyment?” This also is vanity. Yes, it is a miserable business.
9Bolje je dvema nego enemu, ker imata dobro plačilo za svoj trud.
9Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.
10Zakaj če padeta, vzdigne tovariš tovariša; ali gorje samemu, ko pade in nima druga, da bi ga vzdignil!
10For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and doesn’t have another to lift him up.
11Tudi kadar dva vkup ležita, se grejeta; a kako se hoče kdo zgreti, ko je sam?
11Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one keep warm alone?
12In če enega siloma napadejo, se dva v bran postavita; in trojna vrvica se ne raztrga lahko.
12If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
13Boljši ubog in moder deček nego star in bedast kralj, ki nima več toliko uma, da bi se dal posvariti.
13Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who doesn’t know how to receive admonition any more.
14Zakaj iz jetnišnice je prišel deček, da bi kraljeval, čeprav se je ubog rodil v kraljestvu njegovem.
14For out of prison he came forth to be king; yes, even in his kingdom he was born poor.
15Videl sem vse živeče, ki hodijo pod solncem, da so bili pri dečku, drugem, ki je imel stopiti na onega mesto;ni bilo konca vsemu tistemu ljudstvu, ki mu je bil na čelu; a potomci se ga ne bodo veselili. Res, tudi to je ničemurnost in lovljenje vetra.
15I saw all the living who walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the other, who succeeded him.
16ni bilo konca vsemu tistemu ljudstvu, ki mu je bil na čelu; a potomci se ga ne bodo veselili. Res, tudi to je ničemurnost in lovljenje vetra.
16There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was—yet those who come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.