Netaisnība un apspiešana
1 Un atkal es redzu visu to apspiestību, kas notiek zem saules, un redzi –
apspiesto asaras!
Un nav viņiem mierinātāja!
Un viņu apspiedēju rokā ir spēks!
Un nav viņiem mierinātāja!
2 Miroņi, kas jau nomiruši, man šķiet laimīgāki par dzīvajiem, kuri vēl dzīvi, 3 bet labāk par šiem abiem ir tiem, kuru vēl nav, kuri nav redzējuši to ļaundarību, kas notiek zem saules.
4 Un es uzlūkoju visus pūliņus un izmanību darbā, jo tā ir cilvēka skaudība pret savu tuvāko. Tā arī ir tukšība un vēja tvarsts!
5 Muļķis sēž saņemtām rokām
un ēd pats savu miesu.
6 Labāk sauja rimtuma
nekā abas riekšavas pilnas
pūliņu un vēja tvarsta!
Drauga vērtība
7 Un atkal es redzu, ka zem saules vien tukšība. 8 Viens ir, bet viņam nav otra – ne dēla, ne brāļa. Nav gala viņa pūliņiem, un acs nerod bagātībā sāta: priekš kā es nopūlos un liedzu sev prieku? Tā arī ir tukšība, un nejauks šis amats! 9 Labāk diviem nekā vienam, tāpēc ka tiem tiek laba alga par viņu pūlēm. 10 Ja pakritīs viens, otrs to piecels, bet vai! tam, kurš pakrīt viens pats un nav otra, kas viņu pieceļ. 11 Un, ja divi guļ kopā, tad tiem ir silts, bet viens – kā lai sasildās? 12 Un, ja pievarēs vienu, divi turēsies pretī, un trīskārša saite nesatrūkst ātri.
13 Labāk trūcīgs, bet gudrs zēns, nekā vecs un neldzīgs ķēniņš, kurš nespēj vairs piesargāties. 14 Jo, no gūstekņu nama nācis, viņš par ķēniņu kļuvis, kaut savā valstī piedzimis trūcīgs. 15 Es redzēju visus dzīvos, kas staigā zem saules, esam ar to otro – to zēnu, kas nāk viņa vietā. 16 Nav skaita ļaudīm, kas bija pirms viņiem abiem, – bet pēcnācēji nepriecāsies par viņu, un arī tas – tikai tukšība un vēja tvarsts.
17 Uzmani savus soļus, kad ej uz Dieva namu. Pienākt un ieklausīties ir labāk, nekā kad muļķi nāk upurēt, jo tie pat nezina, ka dara sliktu.
1 I looked again and saw people being mistreated everywhere on earth. They were crying, but no one was there to offer comfort, and those who mistreated them were powerful. 2 I said to myself, “The dead are better off than the living. 3 But those who have never been born are better off than anyone else, because they have never seen the terrible things that happen on this earth.”
4 Then I realized that we work and do wonderful things just because we are jealous of others. This makes no more sense than chasing the wind.
5 Fools will fold their hands
and starve to death.
6 Yet a very little food
eaten in peace
is better than twice as much
earned from overwork
and chasing the wind.
7 Once again I saw that nothing on earth makes sense. 8 For example, some people don't have friends or family. But they are never satisfied with what they own, and they never stop working to get more. They should ask themselves, “Why am I always working to have more? Who will get what I leave behind?” What a senseless and miserable life!
It Is Better To Have a Friend
9 You are better having a friend than to be all alone, because then you will get more enjoyment out of what you earn. 10 If you fall, your friend can help you up. But if you fall without having a friend nearby, you are really in trouble. 11 If you sleep alone, you won't have anyone to keep you warm on a cold night. 12 Someone might be able to beat up one of you, but not both of you. As the saying goes, “A rope made from three strands of cord is hard to break.”
13 You may be poor and young, but if you are wise, you are better off than a foolish old king who won't listen to advice. 14 Even if you were not born into the royal family and have been a prisoner and poor, you can still be king. 15 I once saw everyone in the world follow a young leader who came to power after the king was gone. 16 His followers could not even be counted. But years from now, no one will praise him—this makes no more sense than chasing the wind.
