Ecclesiastes 4
1 Then I turned to consider all the ways people oppress others here on earth. Look at the tears of the oppressed—there's no one to comfort them! Powerful people oppress them, and there's no one to comfort them!
Verti me ad alia, et vidi calumnias quæ sub sole geruntur, et lacrimas innocentium, et neminem consolatorem, nec posse resistere eorum violentiæ, cunctorum auxilio destitutos,
2 I congratulated those who were already dead, for the dead are better off than those who are still alive and being oppressed.
et laudavi magis mortuos quam viventes;
3 But best of all are those who have never existed—they haven't seen the evil things people do to each other here on earth.
et feliciorem utroque judicavi qui necdum natus est, nec vidit mala quæ sub sole fiunt.
4 I observed that every skill in work comes from competition with others. Once again this is hard to understand, like trying to hold on to the elusive wind.
Rursum contemplatus sum omnes labores hominum, et industrias animadverti patere invidiæ proximi; et in hoc ergo vanitas et cura superflua est.
5 Fools fold their arms and do nothing—so in the end they're all used up.
Stultus complicat manus suas, et comedit carnes suas, dicens:
6 It's better to earn a little without stress than a lot with too much stress and chasing after the wind.
Melior est pugillus cum requie, quam plena utraque manus cum labore et afflictione animi.
7 Then I turned to consider something else here on earth that is also frustratingly hard to understand.
Considerans, reperi et aliam vanitatem sub sole.
8 What about someone who has no family to help him, no brother or son, who works all the time, but isn't satisfied with the money he makes. “Who am I working for?” he asks himself. “Why am I preventing myself from enjoying life?” Such a situation is hard to explain—it's an evil business!
Unus est, et secundum non habet, non filium, non fratrem, et tamen laborare non cessat, nec satiantur oculi ejus divitiis; nec recogitat, dicens: Cui laboro, et fraudo animam meam bonis? In hoc quoque vanitas est et afflictio pessima.
9 Two are better than one, for they can help each other in their work.
Melius est ergo duos esse simul quam unum; habent enim emolumentum societatis suæ.
10 If one of them falls down, the other can help them up, but how sad it is for someone who falls down and doesn't have anyone to help them up.
Si unus ceciderit, ab altero fulcietur. Væ soli, quia cum ceciderit, non habet sublevantem se.
11 In the same way, if two people lie down together, they keep each other warm, but you can't keep yourself warm if you're alone.
Et si dormierint duo, fovebuntur mutuo; unus quomodo calefiet?
12 Someone fighting against one other person may win, but not if they are fighting against two. A cord made of three strands can't be torn apart quickly.
Et si quispiam prævaluerit contra unum, duo resistunt ei; funiculus triplex difficile rumpitur.
13 A poor young person who's wise is better than an old and foolish king who no longer accepts advice.
Melior est puer pauper et sapiens, rege sene et stulto, qui nescit prævidere in posterum.
14 He may even come out of prison to reign over his kingdom, even though he was born poor.
Quod de carcere catenisque interdum quis egrediatur ad regnum; et alius, natus in regno, inopia consumatur.
15 I observed everyone here on earth following the youth who takes his place.
Vidi cunctos viventes qui ambulant sub sole cum adolescente secundo, qui consurget pro eo.
16 He is surrounded by crowds of supporters, but the next generation isn't happy with him. This also illustrates the passing nature of life whose meaning is elusive, like pursuing the wind for understanding.
Infinitus numerus est populi omnium qui fuerunt ante eum, et qui postea futuri sunt non lætabuntur in eo; sed et hoc vanitas et afflictio spiritus.
