Ecclesiastes 4
1 Then I returned and saw 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.
verti me ad alia et vidi calumnias quae sub sole geruntur et lacrimas innocentum et consolatorem neminem nec posse resistere eorum violentiae cunctorum auxilio destitutos
2 Therefore I praised the dead who have long been dead more than the living who are yet alive.
et laudavi magis mortuos quam viventes
3 Yea, better than them both is him who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
et feliciorem utroque iudicavi qui necdum natus est nec vidit mala quae sub sole fiunt
4 Then I saw all labor and every skilful work, that for this a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
rursum contemplatus omnes labores hominum et industrias animadverti patere invidiae proximi et in hoc ergo vanitas et cura superflua est
5 The fool folds his hands together, and eats his own flesh.
stultus conplicat manus suas et comedit carnes suas dicens
6 Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and striving after wind.
melior est pugillus cum requie quam plena utraque manus cum labore et adflictione animi
7 Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.
considerans repperi et aliam vanitatem sub sole
8 There is one man who is alone, and he has not a second, yea, he has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end of all his labor, nor are his eyes satisfied with riches. For whom then, he says, do I labor, and deprive my soul of good? This also is vanity, yea, it is a great travail.
unus est et secundum non habet non filium non fratrem et tamen laborare non cessat nec satiantur oculi eius divitiis nec recogitat dicens cui laboro et fraudo animam meam bonis in hoc quoque vanitas est et adflictio pessima
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.
melius ergo est duos simul esse quam unum habent enim emolumentum societatis suae
10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow, but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and has not another to lift him up.
si unus ceciderit ab altero fulcietur vae soli quia cum ruerit non habet sublevantem
11 Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth, but how can one be warm alone?
et si dormierint duo fovebuntur mutuo unus quomodo calefiet
12 And if a man prevails against him who is alone, two shall withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
et si quispiam praevaluerit contra unum duo resistent ei funiculus triplex difficile rumpitur
13 Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who does not know how to receive admonition any more.
melior est puer pauper et sapiens rege sene et stulto qui nescit providere in posterum
14 For he came forth out of prison to be king, yea, even in his kingdom he was born poor.
quod et de carcere catenisque interdum quis egrediatur ad regnum et alius natus in regno inopia consumatur
15 I saw all the living who walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the second, who stood up in his stead.
vidi cunctos viventes qui ambulant sub sole cum adulescente secundo qui consurgit pro eo
16 There was no end of all the people, even of all those over whom he was. Yet those who come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.
infinitus numerus est populi omnium qui fuerunt ante eum et qui postea futuri sunt non laetabuntur in eo sed et hoc vanitas et adflictio spiritus
