< 传道书 4 >

1 我又转念,见日光之下所行的一切欺压。看哪,受欺压的流泪,且无人安慰;欺压他们的有势力,也无人安慰他们。
So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.
2 因此,我赞叹那早已死的死人,胜过那还活着的活人。
Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.
3 并且我以为那未曾生的,就是未见过日光之下恶事的,比这两等人更强。
Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
4 我又见人为一切的劳碌和各样灵巧的工作就被邻舍嫉妒。这也是虚空,也是捕风。
Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
5 愚昧人抱着手,吃自己的肉。
The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
6 满了一把,得享安静,强如满了两把,劳碌捕风。
Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.
7 我又转念,见日光之下有一件虚空的事:
Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.
8 有人孤单无二,无子无兄,竟劳碌不息,眼目也不以钱财为足。他说:“我劳劳碌碌,刻苦自己,不享福乐,到底是为谁呢?”这也是虚空,是极重的劳苦。
There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.
9 两个人总比一个人好,因为二人劳碌同得美好的果效。
Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
10 若是跌倒,这人可以扶起他的同伴;若是孤身跌倒,没有别人扶起他来,这人就有祸了。
For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
11 再者,二人同睡就都暖和,一人独睡怎能暖和呢?
Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?
12 有人攻胜孤身一人,若有二人便能敌挡他;三股合成的绳子不容易折断。
And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
13 贫穷而有智慧的少年人胜过年老不肯纳谏的愚昧王。
Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.
14 这人是从监牢中出来作王,在他国中,生来原是贫穷的。
For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor.
15 我见日光之下一切行动的活人都随从那第二位,就是起来代替老王的少年人。
I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead.
16 他所治理的众人就是他的百姓,多得无数;在他后来的人尚且不喜悦他。这真是虚空,也是捕风。
There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

< 传道书 4 >