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Propovjednik 12
Biblija: suvremeni hrvatski prijevod
Propovjednik 12
Biblija: suvremeni hrvatski prijevod
Uživaj u životu dok traje
12 Još dok si mlad, sjeti se tko te stvorio. Misli na to prije nego što dođu loši dani i nagomilaju se godine, a ti shvatiš da te više ništa ne veseli.
2 Sjeti se svog Stvoritelja i prije nego što svjetlost sunca, mjeseca i zvijezda potamni, a nebo ponovo zastru kišni oblaci.
3 Sjeti ga se kada gospodari kuće počnu drhtati, kada se pognu oni koji su nekoć bili snažni, kada žene zaustave mlin jer ih je sve manje, kada se zamuti vid onima što gledaju kroz prozor. 4 Sjeti ga se kad se zatvore vrata do ulice i mlin se zaustavi, kad počneš ustajati s prvim cvrkutom ptica, a svaki zvuk pjesme za tebe zauvijek utihne.
5 Sjeti se tko te stvorio kad se počneš bojati visine i strahovati od svake opasnosti na putu, kad ti je kosa bijela kao badem u cvatu, kad se vučeš kao umoran skakavac, kad više nemaš želje.[a] Jer, svi ljudi idu putem u smrt, a pogrebne povorke već kruže ulicama.
6 Sjeti se svog Stvoritelja dok si još mlad,
prije nego što se slomi srebrna svjetiljka[b]
i razbije se njena zlatna posuda,[c]
prije nego što se vrč slupa na izvoru,
a posuda slomi na bunaru,
7 prije nego što se tijelo vrati u zemlju,
a duh ode k Bogu koji ga je stvorio.
8 »Sve je besmisleno[d]«, govori Učitelj, »beskorisno i uzaludno!«
Savjeti za kraj
9 Učitelj je bio veoma mudar čovjek i svoje je znanje prenosio drugima. Pažljivo je proučio i uredio mnogo mudrih pouka. 10 Uvijek se trudio pronaći prave riječi. Zapisao je pouke koje su istinite i pouzdane.
11 Riječi mudrih ljudi su poput šiljastog štapa za podbadanje, a kad su sabrane i zapisane, one su kao željezni šiljci na štapu. Usmjeravaju ljude kao što pastir štapom usmjerava ovce. 12 Proučavaj ih, dijete moje! No budi pažljiv s mnogim učenjima. Puno je knjiga napisano, a previše učenja iscrpljuje.
13 Na kraju smo. Sve je rečeno. Poštuj Boga i vrši njegove zapovijedi jer je to bit svakog čovjeka.[e] 14 A Bog će prosuđivati sve što činiš—bilo javno ili tajno, bilo dobro ili loše.
Footnotes
- 12,5 Doslovno: »kad badem cvate, kad se skakavac vuče, kad venu kapri«. Kapar je mediteranski grm s jestivim pupoljcima koji se koriste kao začin (kapare).
- 12,6 svjetiljka Ili: »uže«.
- 12,6 Moguće da se odnosi na srebrnu svjetiljku koja ima zlatnu posudu za ulje (koje se koristi kao gorivo).
- 12,8 besmisleno Hebrejski »hevel« doslovno znači »para« ili »dah«, ali i »bezvrijedno, isprazno, beskorisno, beznačajno, gubitak vremena, potpuno krivo« i sl.
- 12,13 Moguće tumačenje: »jer to je ono za što je čovjek stvoren.«
Ecclesiastes 12
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Ecclesiastes 12
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 12
1 [a]Remember your Creator in the days of your youth,
before the evil days come
And the years approach of which you will say,
“I have no pleasure in them”;
2 Before the sun is darkened
and the light and the moon and the stars
and the clouds return after the rain;
3 [b]When the guardians of the house tremble,
and the strong men are bent;
When the women who grind are idle because they are few,
and those who look through the windows grow blind;
4 When the doors to the street are shut,
and the sound of the mill is low;
When one rises at the call of a bird,
and all the daughters of song are quiet;
5 When one is afraid of heights,
and perils in the street;
When the almond tree blooms,
and the locust grows sluggish
and the caper berry is without effect,
Because mortals go to their lasting home,
and mourners go about the streets;
6 [c]Before the silver cord is snapped
and the golden bowl is broken,
And the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
and the pulley is broken at the well,
7 And the dust returns to the earth as it once was,
and the life breath returns to God who gave it.[d](A)
8 Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth,
all things are vanity!(B)
Epilogue. 9 [e]Besides being wise, Qoheleth taught the people knowledge, and weighed, scrutinized and arranged many proverbs. 10 Qoheleth sought to find appropriate sayings, and to write down true sayings with precision. 11 The sayings of the wise are like goads; like fixed spikes are the collected sayings given by one shepherd.[f] 12 (C)As to more than these,[g] my son, beware. Of the making of many books there is no end, and in much study there is weariness for the flesh.
13 [h](D)The last word, when all is heard: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this concerns all humankind; 14 (E)because God will bring to judgment every work, with all its hidden qualities, whether good or bad.
Footnotes
- 12:1–7 The homage to life of 11:7–10 is deliberately balanced by the sombre yet shimmering radiance of this poem on old age and death. The poem’s enigmatic imagery has often been interpreted allegorically, especially in vv. 3–5. Above all it seeks to evoke an atmosphere as well as an attitude toward death and old age.
- 12:3–5 An allegorical reading of these verses sees references to the human body—“guardians”: the arms; “strong men”: the legs; “women who grind”: the teeth; “those who look”: the eyes; “the doors”: the lips; “daughters of song”: the voice; “the almond tree blooms”: resembling the white hair of old age; “the locust…sluggish”: the stiffness in movement of the aged; “the caper berry”: a stimulant for appetite.
- 12:6 The golden bowl suspended by the silver cord is a symbol of life; the snapping of the cord and the breaking of the bowl, a symbol of death. The pitcher…the pulley: another pair of metaphors for life and its ending.
- 12:7 Death is portrayed in terms of the description of creation in Gn 2:7; the body corrupts in the grave, and the life breath (lit., “spirit”), or gift of life, returns to God who had breathed upon what he had formed.
- 12:9 A disciple briefly describes and praises the master’s skill and reputation as a sage.
- 12:11 One shepherd: perhaps referring to the book’s author, who gathers or “shepherds” together its contents. God could also be “the one shepherd,” the ultimate depository and source of true wisdom.
- 12:12 As to more than these: the words seem to refer to the writings of Ecclesiastes and other sages. They are adequate and sufficient; any more involves exhaustive labor.
- 12:13–14 These words reaffirm traditional wisdom doctrine such as fear of God and faithful obedience, perhaps lest some of the more extreme statements of the author be misunderstood. Although the epilogue has been interpreted as a criticism of the book’s author, it is really a summary that betrays the unruffled spirit of later sages, who were not shocked by Qoheleth’s statements. They honored him as a hakam or sage (v. 9), even as they preserved his statements about the futility of life (v. 8), and the mystery of divine judgment (8:17; 11:5).
Ecclesiastes 12
New International Version
Ecclesiastes 12
New International Version
12 Remember(A) your Creator
in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble(B) come
and the years approach when you will say,
“I find no pleasure in them”—
2 before the sun and the light
and the moon and the stars grow dark,
and the clouds return after the rain;
3 when the keepers of the house tremble,
and the strong men stoop,
when the grinders cease because they are few,
and those looking through the windows grow dim;
4 when the doors to the street are closed
and the sound of grinding fades;
when people rise up at the sound of birds,
but all their songs grow faint;(C)
5 when people are afraid of heights
and of dangers in the streets;
when the almond tree blossoms
and the grasshopper drags itself along
and desire no longer is stirred.
Then people go to their eternal home(D)
and mourners(E) go about the streets.
6 Remember him—before the silver cord is severed,
and the golden bowl is broken;
before the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
and the wheel broken at the well,
7 and the dust returns(F) to the ground it came from,
and the spirit returns to God(G) who gave it.(H)
The Conclusion of the Matter
9 Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs.(K) 10 The Teacher(L) searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.(M)
11 The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails(N)—given by one shepherd.[b] 12 Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.
Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.(O)
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 12:8 Or the leader of the assembly; also in verses 9 and 10
- Ecclesiastes 12:11 Or Shepherd
Ecclesiastes 12
New King James Version
Ecclesiastes 12
New King James Version
Seek God in Early Life
12 Remember(A) now your Creator in the days of your youth,
Before the [a]difficult days come,
And the years draw near (B)when you say,
“I have no pleasure in them”:
2 While the sun and the light,
The moon and the stars,
Are not darkened,
And the clouds do not return after the rain;
3 In the day when the keepers of the house tremble,
And the strong men bow down;
When the grinders cease because they are few,
And those that look through the windows grow dim;
4 When the doors are shut in the streets,
And the sound of grinding is low;
When one rises up at the sound of a bird,
And all (C)the daughters of music are brought low.
5 Also they are afraid of height,
And of terrors in the way;
When the almond tree blossoms,
The grasshopper is a burden,
And desire fails.
For man goes to (D)his eternal home,
And (E)the mourners go about the streets.
6 Remember your Creator before the silver cord is [b]loosed,
Or the golden bowl is broken,
Or the pitcher shattered at the fountain,
Or the wheel broken at the well.
7 (F)Then the dust will return to the earth as it was,
(G)And the spirit will return to God (H)who gave it.
8 “Vanity(I) of vanities,” says the Preacher,
“All is vanity.”
The Whole Duty of Man
9 And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yes, he pondered and sought out and (J)set[c] in order many proverbs. 10 The Preacher sought to find [d]acceptable words; and what was written was upright—words of truth. 11 The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of [e]scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd. 12 And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and (K)much study is wearisome to the flesh.
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
(L)Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man’s all.
14 For (M)God will bring every work into judgment,
Including every secret thing,
Whether good or evil.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 12:1 Lit. evil
- Ecclesiastes 12:6 So with Qr., Tg.; Kt. removed; LXX, Vg. broken
- Ecclesiastes 12:9 arranged
- Ecclesiastes 12:10 Lit. delightful
- Ecclesiastes 12:11 Lit. masters of assemblies
Biblija: suvremeni hrvatski prijevod (SHP)
Biblija: suvremeni hrvatski prijevod (SHP) © 2019 Bible League International
New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
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