傳道書 4
1 我又轉目注視在太陽下所行的一切暴行：看，受壓迫者眼淚汪流，卻無人安慰；壓迫人者手中只有權勢，卻無人加以援助。
I thought some more about all the suffering that people are caused to experience on the earth [MTY]. I saw the tears of people who were (oppressed/treated cruelly) and who had no one to comfort/encourage them. Those who oppressed them had power, and there was absolutely no one who was able to comfort those who were being oppressed.
2 於是我聲稱那已死去的人，比現今還活著的人更為有福。
[So] I thought that those who are already dead are more fortunate than those who are still alive.
3 那還沒有出世的人，比這兩等人更為有福，因為他還沒有見到太陽下所行的惡事。
And those who have not been born yet are more fortunate than those who are still alive and those who have died, [because] those who have not been born have not seen all the evil things that are done on the earth.
4 我也看出各種勞苦和一切工作的技巧，都是出於人彼此間的競爭：這也是空虛，也是追風。
I also thought about all the hard work that people do and the skills that they have. And I thought about how they compete with each other because they are envious of others, [and I concluded that] this also is something that is not accomplishing anything useful, [like] chasing the wind.
5 愚人交臂叉手，是自食己肉。
Foolish people [refuse to work]; they sit idly, with their hands folded, [and do not work]. [So] they ruin themselves.
6 捧一把安逸，勝過兩把勞苦和追風。
[So I say], “It is better to be content with not having much money, than to work very hard and try to get a lot of money, which is [as useless as] chasing the wind.”
7 我又轉睛，看見在太陽下有件空虛的事：
I thought about something else that happens on the earth [MTY] that seems senseless.
8 有個孤獨無伴的人，既沒有兒子，又沒有兄弟，卻時常勞苦不息，他的眼總是貪得無厭，從來不問：「我辛辛苦苦，節制享樂，究竟是為誰﹖」這也是空虛和大不幸。
There are men who live alone; they do not have a wife or children or any brothers living with them; every day they work [very hard], without stopping, to get a lot of money, but they are never satisfied with the things that they have. They never ask [themselves], “Why am I working very hard to earn more money? Why am I not doing things that would cause me to be happy?” What they do also seems senseless.
9 兩人勝過一人，因為兩人工作，酬報優厚：
Having someone [work] with you is better than being by yourself [all the time]. If you have a friend, he can help you to do your work.
10 若一個跌倒了，另一個可扶起自己的同伴。哀哉孤獨者! 他若跌倒了，沒有另一人扶起他來。
If you fall down, he can help you get up again. But if you fall down when you are alone, it will be difficult for you, because there will be no one to help you stand up.
11 又如兩人同眠，都感溫暖；若孤獨一人，怎能暖和﹖
Similarly, if two people sleep together, they can keep each other warm. But someone who sleeps alone will certainly not [RHQ] be warm.
12 若一人抵不住一人，兩人就能抵住。－－三股繩，不易斷。
Someone who is alone can easily be attacked and defeated by another person, but two people can help each other and (resist/defend themselves against) someone who attacks them. [Three people can defend themselves even more easily], [like] a rope that is made from three cords is harder to break [than a rope made from two cords].
13 一個貧寒而明智的青年，勝過一個年老昏愚，而總不採納忠言的君王。
A young man who is poor but wise is a better person than a foolish old king who refuses to pay attention when people try to give him good advice.
14 這青年雖在國中出身貧寒，但由獄中出來，執政為王；
It is possible for a young man like that to succeed and some day become king, even if his parents were poor or even if he was in prison some of the time.
15 我看見一切在太陽下行走的活人，都擁護青年人，新繼位者，來代替老王。
But then some other young man becomes king, and everyone (starts to support/is pleased with) him.
16 擁護他為領袖的人民，多得無數；但日後，那些後來的人卻不喜歡他：這也是空虛，也是追風。
Large crowds of people crowd around him. But after a few years, they will reject him, [too]. So it is all senseless, [like] chasing after the wind.
