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.

¹Potom som sa obrátil a videl som všetky tie útisky, ktoré sa dejú pod slnkom, a hľa, slzy utiskovaných, a nemali toho, kto by potešil, ani moci vyprostiť sa z ruky tých, ktorí ich utiskovali, ani tedy nemali toho, kto by potešil.

²Therefore I praised the dead who have been long dead more than the living who are yet alive.

²Preto som za šťastnejších vychvaľoval mŕtvych, ktorí už dávno pomreli, ako živých, ktorí žijú po dnes,

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.

³a že lepšie nad obojich je tomu, kto ešte vôbec nebol, kto nevidel zlého skutku, ktorý sa deje pod slnkom.

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.

⁴A videl som všetku tú námahu a každú tú obratnosť v práci, že je to revnivosť jedného na druhého. Aj to je márnosť a honba po vetre.

⁵The fool folds his hands together and ruins himself.

⁵Blázon zakladá svoje ruky a jie svoje mäso.

⁶Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and chasing after wind.

⁶Lepšia vraj plná hrsť pokoja ako plné priehrštia námahy a honby po vetre.

⁷Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

⁷A zase som sa obrátil a videl som inú márnosť pod slncom.

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.

⁸Niekto je sám, a neni druhého; nemá ani syna ani brata, a predsa nie je konca všetkej jeho namáhavej práci, ani sa jeho oči nenasýtia bohatstva, ani si nepovie: Pre koho sa ja trudím a pracujem a unímam svojej duši dobrého? Aj to je márnosť a zlé zamestnanie.

⁹Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.

⁹Lepšie dvom ako jednému, pretože majú dobrú mzdu za svoju prácu.

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.

¹⁰Lebo ak padnú, jeden pozdvihne svojho druha. Ale beda jednému, ktorý padne; neni druhého, aby ho pozdvihol.

¹¹Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one keep warm alone?

¹¹Tiež ak ležia dvaja spolu, zahrejú sa; ale jeden akože sa zahreje?

¹²If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

¹²A keby sa niekto chcel zmocniť toho jedného, oni dvaja sa postavia proti nemu, a motúz, spletený vo troje, nepretrhne sa tak rýchle.

¹³Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who doesn’t know how to receive admonition any more.

¹³Lepšie chudobné dieťa a múdre ako starý kráľ a blázon, ktorý sa už nevie ani dať poučiť.

¹⁴For out of prison he came forth to be king; yes, even in his kingdom he was born poor.

¹⁴Lebo vyšlo z domu väzňov, aby kraľovalo, keď sa aj v jeho kráľovstve narodilo chudobné.

¹⁵I saw all the living who walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the other, who succeeded him.

¹⁵Videl som všetkých živých, ktorí chodia pod slnkom, s tým druhým dieťaťom, ktoré sa postavilo na jeho miesto.

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.

¹⁶Nebolo konca všetkému ľudu, všetkým, ktorým bol na čele; ale už potomci sa mu neradovali. Istotne je i to márnosť a shon po vetre.