傳道書 4
1 我又轉念，見日光之下所行的一切欺壓。看哪，受欺壓的流淚，且無人安慰；欺壓他們的有勢力，也無人安慰他們。
And I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors was power, and they had no comforter.
2 因此，我讚歎那早已死的死人，勝過那還活着的活人。
Then I praised the dead who are already dead more than the living who are yet alive;
3 並且我以為那未曾生的，就是未見過日光之下惡事的，比這兩等人更強。
and more fortunate than both is he who hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
4 我又見人為一切的勞碌和各樣靈巧的工作就被鄰舍嫉妒。這也是虛空，也是捕風。
And I saw all labour, and all success of work, that it is man's jealousy of his neighbour. This also is vanity and pursuit of the wind.
5 愚昧人抱着手，吃自己的肉。
The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
6 滿了一把，得享安靜，強如滿了兩把，勞碌捕風。
Better is a handful with quietness, than both hands full with labour and pursuit of the wind.
7 我又轉念，見日光之下有一件虛空的事：
And I returned and saw vanity under the sun.
8 有人孤單無二，無子無兄，竟勞碌不息，眼目也不以錢財為足。他說：「我勞勞碌碌，刻苦自己，不享福樂，到底是為誰呢？」這也是虛空，是極重的勞苦。
There is one [alone] and without a second; also he hath neither son nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour, neither is his eye satisfied with riches, and [he saith not], For whom then am I labouring, and depriving my soul of good? This also is vanity and a grievous occupation.
9 兩個人總比一個人好，因為二人勞碌同得美好的果效。
Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
10 若是跌倒，這人可以扶起他的同伴；若是孤身跌倒，沒有別人扶起他來，這人就有禍了。
For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, and who hath not another to lift him up!
11 再者，二人同睡就都暖和，一人獨睡怎能暖和呢？
Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one alone be warm?
12 有人攻勝孤身一人，若有二人便能敵擋他；三股合成的繩子不容易折斷。
And if a [man] overpower the one, the two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
13 貧窮而有智慧的少年人勝過年老不肯納諫的愚昧王。
Better is a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth no more how to be admonished.
14 這人是從監牢中出來作王，在他國中，生來原是貧窮的。
For out of the prison-house he came forth to reign, although he was born poor in his kingdom.
15 我見日光之下一切行動的活人都隨從那第二位，就是起來代替老王的少年人。
I saw all the living that walk under the sun, with the child, the second, that should stand up in his stead.
16 他所治理的眾人就是他的百姓，多得無數；在他後來的人尚且不喜悅他。這真是虛空，也是捕風。
[There is] no end of all the people, of all that stood before them; those however that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after the wind.
