The Foolishness of Trusting in Riches
1 Hear this, everyone!
Listen, all people everywhere,
2 great and small alike,
rich and poor together.
3 My thoughts will be clear;
I will speak words of wisdom.
4 I will turn my attention to proverbs
and explain their meaning as I play the harp.
5 I am not afraid in times of danger
when I am surrounded by enemies,
6 by evil people who trust in their riches
and boast of their great wealth.
7 We can never redeem ourselves;
we cannot pay God the price for our lives,
8 because the payment for a human life is too great.
What we could pay would never be enough
9 to keep us from the grave,
to let us live forever.
10 Anyone can see that even the wise die,
as well as the foolish and stupid.
They all leave their riches to their descendants.
11 Their graves are their homes forever;
there they stay for all time,
though they once had lands of their own.
12 Our greatness cannot keep us from death;
we will still die like the animals.
13 See what happens to those who trust in themselves,
the fate of those who are satisfied with their wealth—
14 they are doomed to die like sheep,
and Death will be their shepherd.
The righteous will triumph over them,
as their bodies quickly decay
in the world of the dead far from their homes.
15 But God will rescue me;
he will save me from the power of death.
16 Don't be upset when someone becomes rich,
when his wealth grows even greater;
17 he cannot take it with him when he dies;
his wealth will not go with him to the grave.
18 Even if someone is satisfied with this life
and is praised because he is successful,
19 he will join all his ancestors in death,
where the darkness lasts forever.
20 Our greatness cannot keep us from death;
we will still die like the animals.
Dzīves gudrība
1 Korvedim. Koraha dēlu psalms .
2 Klausieties šo, visas tautas,
sadzirdiet, kas pasaulē mītat, –
3 jūs cilvēkbērni, jūs vīru dēli,
kā bagātie, tā arī nabagie!
4 Mana mute runās gudri,
izprotot čukstēs mana sirds!
5 Līdzībā vērīgi ieklausīšos,
ar cītaru atklāšu savu mīklu!
6 Kas man ko bīties posta dienās,
kad mani lenc un liek kāju priekšā tie,
7 kas paļaujas uz savu mantu
un lielās ar savu bagātību!
8 Nevar izpirkt cilvēks brāli,
nedz dot Dievam par viņu ķīlu –
9 jo augsts viņu dzīvības izpirkums,
nepietiks it nemūžam,
10 lai viņš dzīvotu laiku laikos,
neieraudzījis bedri!
11 Jo redzēs, ka gudrie mirst,
gan muļķis, gan dulnais iet bojā,
citiem tie atstāj savu mantu,
12 kapi tiem mājas uz mūžiem,
miteklis uz audžu audzēm –
kaut zemes nosauktas viņu vārdā!
13 Cilvēks savā godībā nesagaida pat rītu –
viņš līdzīgs lopiem, kas aiziet bojā!
14 Šāds ceļš tiem, kuriem muļķība piemīt,
un šāds gals tiem, kuriem tīk pašu runas.
15 Tos dzīs uz šeolu kā avis,
nāve tiem būs par ganu,
sirdsskaidrie tos samīs, rītam austot,
to apveidi gaisīs šeolā, kur tie mīt!
16 Bet Dievs izpirks manu dzīvību no šeola –
viņš ņems mani!
17 Nesatrūksties, ja cits top bagāts,
ja tā nams paceļas godā,
18 jo nāvē tas nepaņems it neko,
tā gods nenokāps viņam līdzi,
19 kaut dzīvē viņš laimīgs skaitās!
Tevi slavē, kamēr tev veicas,
20 bet tu aizej pie tēviem,
kur vairs neredzēs gaismas nemūžam!
21 Cilvēks savā godībā, bet bez saprašanas –
līdzīgs lopam, kas aiziet bojā!
