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!
1 I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. 2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? 3 I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. 4 I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: 5 I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: 6 I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees: 7 I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me: 8 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts. 9 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. 10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. 11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
12 ¶ And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done. 13 Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness. 14 The wise man’s eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all. 15 Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity. 16 For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man ? as the fool.
17 Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
18 ¶ Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. 19 And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity. 20 Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun. 21 For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. 22 For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun? 23 For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.
24 ¶ There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God. 25 For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto , more than I? 26 For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
