Sickness and Medicine
1 Give doctors the honor they deserve, for the Lord gave them their work to do. 2 Their skill came from the Most High, and kings reward them for it. 3 Their knowledge gives them a position of importance, and powerful people hold them in high regard.
4 The Lord created medicines from the earth, and a sensible person will not hesitate to use them. 5 Didn't a tree once make bitter water fit to drink, so that the Lord's power might be known? 6 He gave medical knowledge to human beings, so that we would praise him for the miracles he performs. 7-8 The druggist mixes these medicines, and the doctor will use them to cure diseases and ease pain. There is no end to the activities of the Lord, who gives health to the people of the world.
9 My child, when you get sick, don't ignore it. Pray to the Lord, and he will make you well. 10 Confess all your sins and determine that in the future you will live a righteous life. 11 Offer incense and a grain offering, as fine as you can afford. 12 Then call the doctor—for the Lord created him—and keep him at your side; you need him. 13 There are times when you have to depend on his skill. 14 The doctor's prayer is that the Lord will make him able to ease his patients' pain and make them well again. 15 As for the person who sins against his Creator, he deserves to be sick.
Mourning for the Dead
16 My child, when someone dies, you should mourn. Weep and wail to show how deeply you feel the loss. Prepare the body in the proper way, and be present at the burial. 17 Weep bitterly and passionately; observe the proper period of mourning for the person. Mourn for a whole day or maybe two, to keep people from talking, but then pull yourself together and reconcile yourself to the loss. 18 Grief can undermine your health and even lead to your own death. 19 Grief lingers on after the death of a loved one, but it is not wise to let it lead you into poverty.
20 Don't lose yourself in sorrow; drive it away. Remember that we must all die sometime. 21 There is no way to bring the dead person back. All your sorrow does him no good, and it hurts you. Don't forget that. 22 You will die, just as he did. Today it was his turn; tomorrow it will be yours. 23 When the dead have been laid to rest, let the memory of them fade. Once they are gone, take courage.
Scholarship and Other Occupations
24 Scholars must have time to study if they are going to be wise; they must be relieved of other responsibilities. 25 How can a farm hand gain knowledge, when his only ambition is to drive the oxen and make them work, when all he knows to talk about is livestock? 26 He takes great pains to plow a straight furrow and will work far into the night to feed the animals.
27 It is the same with the artist and the craftsman, who work night and day engraving precious stones, carefully working out new designs. They take great pains to produce a lifelike image, and will work far into the night to finish the work.
28 It is the same with the blacksmith at his anvil, planning what he will make from a piece of iron. The heat from the fire sears his skin as he sweats away at the forge. The clanging of the hammer deafens him as he carefully watches the object he is working take shape. He takes great pains to complete his task, and will work far into the night to bring it to perfection.
29 It is the same with the potter, sitting at his wheel and turning it with his feet, always concentrating on his work, concerned with how many objects he can produce. 30 He works the clay with his feet until he can shape it with his hands; then he takes great pains to glaze it properly, and will work far into the night to clean out the kiln.
31 All of these people are skilled with their hands, each of them an expert at his own craft. 32 Without such people there could be no cities; no one would live or visit where these services were not available. 33 These people are not sought out to serve on the public councils, and they never attain positions of great importance. They do not serve as judges, and they do not understand legal matters. They have no education and are not known for their wisdom. You never hear them quoting proverbs. 34 But the work they do holds this world together. When they do their work, it is the same as offering prayer.
Slimība un zāles
1 Godā ārstu – viņš ir vajadzīgs,
Kungs ir radījis arī viņu:
2 no Visuaugstākā taču ir dziedināšana –
dāvanas saņem no valdnieka.
3 Savas mākas dēļ paceltu galvu iet ārsts,
un tās dēļ viņu apbrīno diženie.
4 Ārstniecības līdzekļus no zemes ir radījis Kungs.
Par tiem neviens saprātīgs cilvēks nav dusmojies.
5 Vai tad tas nebija koks, no kā ūdens kļuva salds,
lai koka spēks atklātos?
6 Tā arī cilvēkiem māku ir dāvājis Kungs,
lai būtu viņos godāts savu brīnumaino darbu dēļ,
7 ar kuriem var dziedināt un sāpes remdēt,
8 no kuriem aptiekārs gatavo maisījumu.
Nebeidzami ir Kunga darbi.
Viņā pār zemi ir miers.
9 Slimojot, bērns, neraugies ar aizdomām!
Bet lūdz Kungu – un viņš dziedinās tevi.
10 No pārkāpuma atstājies, savā rīcībā labojies
un savu sirdi dari skaidru no visiem grēkiem!
11 Veltī smalkākos kviešu miltus
par patīkamu smaržu un piemiņu,
lej upurī eļļu, cik vari atļauties,
12 un ļauj rīkoties ārstam!
Arī viņu ir radījis Kungs.
Arī viņš ir vajadzīgs. No tevis lai neaiziet!
13 Ir brīži, kad sekmīgs iznākums
ir atkarīgs no ārstu rokām,
14 jo arī viņi lūdz, lai Kungs dara sekmīgu
gan atpūtu , gan ārstēšanu dzīvības glābšanai.
15 Kurš grēko Radītāja priekšā,
lai krīt ārsta rokās!
Nāve un sēras
16 Lej asaras par aizgājēju, bērns,
kā smagās ciešanās vaimanā sērās!
Sedz viņa miesas – tāds viņa liktenis –
un neizturies pret apbedīšanu ar nevērību!
17 Izplūsti gaužās žēlabās, sit aizgūtnēm krūtīs
un pēc tās cieņas, kādu aizgājējs pelnījis, ievēro sēras
dienu vai divas – aprunāšanas dēļ –
un ļaujies mierinājumam – skumju dēļ,
18 jo skumjas vieš nāvi
un spēks plok no skumjām sirdī.
19 Kad ir nelaime, arī skumjām nav gala,
bet kāda trūcīgajam sirds, tāda arī viņa dzīve.
20 Neļauj sirdi skumjām,
atraisies no tām, par vispēdīgo atceroties!
21 Neaizmirsti – augšup atgriezties nav iespējams.
Aizgājējam tu nepalīdzi, bet dari ļaunu pats sev.
22 Piemini manu likteni, jo arī tev tā būs.
Man bija vakar. Rīt būs tev.
23 Mirušajam atdusoties,
mitējies viņu atcerēties;
šķiroties viņa dvēselei,
ļaujies mierinājumam viņā.
Rakstu mācītāju un darba cilvēku gudrība
24 Rakstu mācītāju gudrība –
līdz ar labvēlīgajiem, studijām atvēlētajiem brīžiem;
kurš mazāk ir aizņemts ar darbiem,
tiecas pēc gudrības.
25 Kā lai kļūst gudrs, kas, arklu tvēris,
ar dzinēja dzelksni dižojas,
te vēršus dzen, te atpakaļ darbos
un runā – par vērsēniem?
26 Vagu dzīšanai viņš veltīs savu sirdi,
lai sarūpētu barību telēm – miegu.
27 Tāpat ikviens galdnieks un namdaris,
kas dienām un naktīm strādā;
zīmoggredzenu gravētājs,
kas neatlaidīgi cenšas pēc dažādības.
Attēla atveidošanai viņš veltīs savu sirdi,
lai pabeigtu darbu – miegu.
28 Tāpat arī kalējs, kas, apsēdies tuvu laktai,
dzelzs izstrādājumu apdomā;
uguns tveice kausē viņa miesas,
ar ēzes svelmi viņš cīkstas.
Vesera skaņai pievērsta viņa auss,
acis – atveidojamam priekšmetam;
darbu pabeigšanai viņš veltīs savu sirdi,
lai izrotātu līdz galam – miegu.
29 Tāpat arī podnieks, pie darbiem sēdies,
ar kāju ripu min,
allaž norūpējies, iegrimis savā darbā:
skaitā viņa veikums mērojams.
30 Mālu viņš veidos ar rokām
un mīcīs pie kājām;
apgleznošanai viņš veltīs sirdi,
lai iztīrītu cepli – miegu.
31 Ikviens no viņiem paļaujas uz paša rokām,
un katrs savā darbā top gudrs:
32 nedz pilsētu bez viņiem var uzcelt,
nedz apmesties kur, nedz klejot.
Bet – tautas padomē tos neatrast,
33 tie neizceļas sapulcējušos vidū,
tie nesēž tiesneša sēdeklī
un neapsver spriedumā noteikto.
Nedz izglītība atklājas viņos, nedz spriedums,
pie līdzībām velti tos meklēt;
34 bet viņos balstās pasaules radītais
un ar nodarbošanos lūgšana saistās.
Tā nerīkojas tas, kas, ar dvēseli veltījies,
Visuaugstākā bauslībā gremdējas.
