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 quae sub sole geruntur et lacrimas innocentum et consolatorem neminem nec posse resistere eorum violentiae 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 iudicavi qui necdum natus est nec vidit mala quae 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 omnes labores hominum et industrias animadverti patere invidiae 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 conplicat 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 adflictione animi
7 Then I turned to consider something else here on earth that is also frustratingly hard to understand.
considerans repperi 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 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, for they can help each other in their work.
melius ergo est duos simul esse quam unum habent enim emolumentum societatis suae
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 vae soli quia cum ruerit non habet sublevantem
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 praevaluerit contra unum duo resistent 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 providere in posterum
14 He may even come out of prison to reign over his kingdom, even though he was born poor.
quod et 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 adulescente secundo qui consurgit 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 laetabuntur in eo sed et hoc vanitas et adflictio spiritus
