Ecclesiastes 6
1 There is also another evil, which I have seen under the sun, and, indeed, it is frequent among men.
わたしは日の下に一つの悪のあるのを見た。これは人々の上に重い。
2 It is a man to whom God has given wealth, and resources, and honor; and out of all that he desires, nothing is lacking to his life; yet God does not grant him the ability to consume these things, but instead a man who is a stranger will devour them. This is emptiness and a great misfortune.
すなわち神は富と、財産と、誉とを人に与えて、その心に慕うものを、一つも欠けることのないようにされる。しかし神は、その人にこれを持つことを許されないで、他人がこれを持つようになる。これは空である。悪しき病である。
3 If a man were to produce one hundred children, and to live for many years, and to attain to an age of many days, and if his soul were to make no use of the goods of his resources, and if he were lacking even a burial: concerning such a man, I declare that a miscarried child is better than he.
たとい人は百人の子をもうけ、また命長く、そのよわいの日が多くても、その心が幸福に満足せず、また葬られることがなければ、わたしは言う、流産の子はその人にまさると。
4 For he arrives without a purpose and he continues on into darkness, and his name shall be wiped away, into oblivion.
これはむなしく来て、暗やみの中に去って行き、その名は暗やみにおおわれる。
5 He has not seen the sun, nor recognized the difference between good and evil.
またこれは日を見ず、物を知らない。けれどもこれは彼よりも安らかである。
6 Even if he were to live for two thousand years, and yet not thoroughly enjoy what is good, does not each one hurry on to the same place?
たとい彼は千年に倍するほど生きても幸福を見ない。みな一つ所に行くのではないか。
7 Every labor of man is for his mouth, but his soul will not be filled.
人の労苦は皆、その口のためである。しかしその食欲は満たされない。
8 What do the wise have which is more than the foolish? And what does the pauper have, except to continue on to that place, where there is life?
賢い者は愚かな者になんのまさるところがあるか。また生ける者の前に歩むことを知る貧しい者もなんのまさるところがあるか。
9 It is better to see what you desire, than to desire what you cannot know. But this, too, is emptiness and a presumption of spirit.
目に見る事は欲望のさまよい歩くにまさる。これもまた空であって、風を捕えるようなものである。
10 Whoever shall be in the future, his name has already been called. And it is known that he is a man and that he is not able to contend in judgment against one who is stronger than himself.
今あるものは、すでにその名がつけられた。そして人はいかなる者であるかは知られた。それで人は自分よりも力強い者と争うことはできない。
11 There are many words, and many of these, in disputes, hold much emptiness.
言葉が多ければむなしい事も多い。人になんの益があるか。
12 Why is it necessary for a man to seek things that are greater than himself, when he does not know what is advantageous for himself in his life, during the number of the days of his sojourn, and while time passes by like a shadow? Or who will be able to tell him what will be in the future after him under the sun?
人はその短く、むなしい命の日を影のように送るのに、何が人のために善であるかを知ることができよう。だれがその身の後に、日の下に何があるであろうかを人に告げることができるか。
