1 I decided to enjoy myself and find out what happiness is. But I found that this is useless, too. 2 I discovered that laughter is foolish, that pleasure does you no good. 3 Driven on by my desire for wisdom, I decided to cheer myself up with wine and have a good time. I thought that this might be the best way people can spend their short lives on earth.
4 I accomplished great things. I built myself houses and planted vineyards. 5 I planted gardens and orchards, with all kinds of fruit trees in them; 6 I dug ponds to irrigate them. 7 I bought many slaves, and there were slaves born in my household. I owned more livestock than anyone else who had ever lived in Jerusalem. 8 I also piled up silver and gold from the royal treasuries of the lands I ruled. Men and women sang to entertain me, and I had all the women a man could want.
9 Yes, I was great, greater than anyone else who had ever lived in Jerusalem, and my wisdom never failed me. 10 Anything I wanted, I got. I did not deny myself any pleasure. I was proud of everything I had worked for, and all this was my reward. 11 Then I thought about all that I had done and how hard I had worked doing it, and I realized that it didn't mean a thing. It was like chasing the wind—of no use at all. 12 After all, a king can only do what previous kings have done.
So I started thinking about what it meant to be wise or reckless or foolish. 13 Oh, I know, “Wisdom is better than foolishness, just as light is better than darkness. 14 The wise can see where they are going, and fools cannot.” But I also know that the same fate is waiting for us all. 15 I thought to myself, “What happens to fools is going to happen to me, too. So what have I gained from being so wise?” “Nothing,” I answered, “not a thing.” 16 No one remembers the wise, and no one remembers fools. In days to come, we will all be forgotten. We must all die—wise and foolish alike. 17 So life came to mean nothing to me, because everything in it had brought me nothing but trouble. It had all been useless; I had been chasing the wind.
18 Nothing that I had worked for and earned meant a thing to me, because I knew that I would have to leave it to my successor, 19 and he might be wise, or he might be foolish—who knows? Yet he will own everything I have worked for, everything my wisdom has earned for me in this world. It is all useless. 20 So I came to regret that I had worked so hard. 21 You work for something with all your wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and then you have to leave it all to someone who hasn't had to work for it. It is useless, and it isn't right! 22 You work and worry your way through life, and what do you have to show for it? 23 As long as you live, everything you do brings nothing but worry and heartache. Even at night your mind can't rest. It is all useless.
24 The best thing we can do is eat and drink and enjoy what we have earned. And yet, I realized that even this comes from God. 25 How else could you have anything to eat or enjoy yourself at all? 26 God gives wisdom, knowledge, and happiness to those who please him, but he makes sinners work, earning and saving, so that what they get can be given to those who please him. It is all useless. It is like chasing the wind.
Baudas un mantas veltīgums
(Sal. 1Ķēn 4:20–5:8)1 Es sacīju sev: nu, nāc, lai es pārbaudu tevi līksmībā – izbaudi labu! – Bet, redzi, arī tā ir tukšība! 2 Par smiekliem es teicu: tie traki! – un par līksmību: kam tā der?! 3 Es meklēju savā sirdī un nodevu vīnam miesu, bet gudrība vadīja manu sirdi, lai savaldu muļķību, un es saprotu, ko cilvēkbērniem vislabāk darīt zem debess viņu mūža dienās.
4 Es ķēros pie lieliem darbiem,
es cēlu sev namus,
es stādīju vīnadārzus,
5 es iekopu dārzus un augulājus,
es stādīju tajos visādus augļu kokus,
6 es uzplūdināju ūdens dīķus,
ko dzirdīt kokus mežā,
7 es pirku vergus un verdzenes,
un jauni vergi dzima manā namā.
Man bija ganāmpulki – gan vērši, gan avis –,
man bija to vairāk nekā jebkuram
pirms manis Jeruzālemē.
8 Es krāju sudrabu un zeltu,
ķēniņu un vietvalžu bagātības,
es iegādājos sev dziedoņus un dziedones,
un visu cilvēkbērnu saldumu – kundzenes, kundzenes!
9 Tā es augu un pletos pāri visiem,
kas bijuši pirms manis Jeruzālemē –
un mana gudrība arī palika man!
10 Visu, ko manas acis kāroja, es tām ļāvu, es neliedzu savai sirdij nekādu līksmību – lai mana sirds līksmojas par manām pūlēm, jo tā man ir alga par manām pūlēm. 11 Tad es pavēros uz visu, ko manas rokas bija veikušas, uz visiem darbiem, kuros biju pūlējies, un, redzi, viss ir tukšība un vēja tvarsts – nekas nav iegūstams zem saules!
Gudrība pārspēj muļķību
12 Es pavēros un redzēju gan gudrību, gan dulnumu, gan muļķību. Ko tad spēj cilvēks, kas nāk pēc ķēniņa? Tikai to, kas jau padarīts. 13 Es esmu to redzējis – gudrība stāv augstāk par muļķību, tāpat kā gaisma ir augstāk par tumsu. 14 Gudram acis ir pierē, bet muļķis staigā tumsā – taču es zinu, ka tiem abiem nolikts viens liktenis. 15 Es sacīju sev: arī man nolikts muļķa liktenis – kādēļ tad es tik ļoti nodevos gudrībai? – Un es teicu sev, ka arī tā ir tukšība! 16 Jo arī gudro nepiemin mūžam tāpat kā muļķi, un jo drīz aizmirstas viss; un kā nāk, ka gudrais mirst tāpat kā muļķis? 17 Un es ienīdu dzīvi, jo nejauks man šķita viss, kas notiek zem saules, jo viss ir tukšība un vēja tvarsts.
18 Es ienīdu visus savus pūliņus, kā es biju pūlējies zem saules, jo man tie jāatstāj kādam, kurš būs pēc manis, 19 un kas zina, vai tas būs gudrais vai muļķis, taču viņš valdīs pār visiem maniem pūliņiem, ko es ar gudru prātu pūlējos zem saules, – arī tā ir tukšība! 20 Un izmisums sagrāba manu sirdi dēļ visiem pūliņiem, kā es biju pūlējies zem saules. 21 Jo, redzi, cilvēks ir pūlējies ar gudrību, zināšanu un prasmi, un tādam, kas nav tur pūlējies, – tādam viņš atdod savu daļu! Arī tā ir tukšība! Un liela nejaucība! 22 Ko tad gūst cilvēks par saviem pūliņiem un savas sirds bažām, ka tas pūlas zem saules? 23 Jo sāpēs paiet visas viņa dienas un raizes ir viņa amats – pat naktī neatdus viņa sirds! Arī tā ir tukšība!
24 Cilvēkam nav nekā labāka kā ēst, dzert un rast savos pūliņos prieku. Es redzu, ka tas no Dieva rokas! 25 Jo kurš ēd un gavē bez viņa ziņas? 26 Jo tam cilvēkam, kas viņam tīk, viņš dod gudrību, zināšanu un līksmību, bet grēciniekam viņš uzliek par amatu vairot un krāt, lai atdotu tam, kurš tīk Dievam. Arī tā ir tukšība un vēja tvarsts!
