1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; 2 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain: 3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened, 4 And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low; 5 Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets: 6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. 7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
8 ¶ Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity. 9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. 10 The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth. 11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. 12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13 ¶ Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
1 Atceries Radītāju savās jaunības dienās,
pirms ļaunās dienas ir atnākušas
un klāt gadi, par kuriem tu teiksi:
man nav no tiem patikas! –
2 Pirms vēl saule ir aptumsusi
un gaisma, un mēness, un zvaigznes,
un mākoņi atgriežas, nesdami lietu, –
3 dienā, kad dreb nama sargi
un liecas pie zemes spēka vīri,
kad malējas mitas, jo viņu tik maz,
kad sadrūmst sievas, kas raugās pa logu,
4 un durvis uz ielu ciet,
un noklust dzirnu balss,
un cilvēks ceļas ar putnu balsīm –
jo dziesmu meitas visas pieklusušas,
5 ir augstāk pakāpties tas bīstas –
briesmas tam visur ceļā.
Vēl mandeļkoks zied,
bet sienāzis sevi nes kā nastu,
un kaperkrūma auglis viļ,
jo cilvēks iet uz savu mūža namu
un apraudātāji jau riņķo apkārt –
6 līdz pušu sudraba saite
un sadauzīta zelta bļoda,
un sasista krūka pie avota,
un salauzts ritenis ūdens akai,
7 un atgriežas pīšļi zemē, kur tie bija,
bet gars atgriežas pie Dieva, kas to deva!
8 Tukšību tukšība, saka mācītājs, viss ir tukšība!
Epilogs
9 Mācītājs ne tikai pats bija gudrs vīrs, viņš mācīja gudrību tautai un apsvēra, pārlūkoja un sarindoja daudzus sakāmvārdus. 10 Mācītājs pūlējās atrast tīkamus vārdus – uzrakstīti ir īsti patiesības vārdi.
11 Gudro vārdi ir kā vēršu dzenamie dzelkšņi,
un kā iedzītas naglas
ir savāktie izteicieni,
kas vienīgā Gana doti.
12 Un vēl, mans dēls, uzmanies –
lielai grāmatu sacerēšanai nav gala
un liela aizraušanās ar tām nopūlē miesu!
13 Saņemot kopā visu dzirdēto:
bīsties Dieva
un ievēro viņa baušļus,
jo tas ir viss, kas cilvēkam jādara!
14 Jo Dievs iztiesās visu, kas darīts, –
visu apslēpto, vai tas labs vai ļauns.
