< Ecclesiastes 11 >
1 Send your bread out on the surface of the water, and many days later you will find it again.
汝の糧食を水の上に投げよ 多くの日の後に汝ふたたび之を得ん
2 Share what you own with seven or eight people, for you never know what disaster could happen.
汝一箇の分を七また八にわかて 其は汝如何なる災害の地にあらんかを知ざればなり
3 When the clouds are full they pour rain down upon the earth. Whether a tree falls to the north or to the south, it stays where it fell.
雲もし雨の充るあれば地に注ぐ また樹もし南か北に倒るるあればその樹は倒れたる處にあるべし
4 The farmer who pays attention to the direction of the wind knows when not to sow, and by watching the clouds knows when not to reap.
風を伺ふ者は種播ことを得ず 雲を望む者は刈ことを得ず
5 Just as you don't know how the breath of life comes to the child in its mother's womb, so you can't understand the work of God, the Creator of everything.
汝は風の道の如何なるを知ず また孕める婦の胎にて骨の如何に生長つを知ず 斯汝は萬事を爲たまふ神の作爲を知ことなし
6 In the morning, sow your seed. In the evening, don't stop. For you have no way of knowing which crop will grow well—one may be profitable, or the other—or maybe both.
汝朝に種を播け 夕にも手を歇るなかれ 其はその實る者は此なるか彼なるか又は二者ともに美なるや汝これを知ざればなり
7 How sweet it is to live in the light, to see the sun rise on another day.
夫光明は快き者なり 目に日を見るは樂し
8 May you live for many years, and may you enjoy them all. But remember there will many days of darkness, and all that is to come is uncertain.
人多くの年生ながらへてその中凡て幸福なるもなほ幽暗の日を憶ふべきなり 其はその數も多かるべければなり 凡て來らんところの事は皆空なり
9 Young people, enjoy your youth! Be happy with what's good! While you're young, let your mind guide your life, and do as you think best. But remember that God will judge you for all your thoughts and actions.
少者よ汝の少き時に快樂をなせ 汝の少き日に汝の心を悦ばしめ汝の心の道に歩み汝の目に見るところを爲せよ 但しその諸の行爲のために神汝を鞫きたまはんと知べし
10 So don't let your mind worry, and avoid things that hurt your body. Even so, despite youth and enthusiasm, life is still so hard to understand!
然ば汝の心より憂を去り 汝の身より惡き者を除け 少き時と壯なる時はともに空なればなり