Ecclesiastes 11

1 Cast thy bread-corn, upon the face of the waters, —for, after many days, shalt thou find it:

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 Give a portion to seven, yea even to eight, —for thou canst not know, what there shall be of misfortune, upon the earth.

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 If the clouds be filled with a downpour, upon the earth, will they empty themselves, and, if a tree fall in the south or in the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there will it be found.

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 He that observeth the wind, will not sow, —and, he that watcheth the clouds, will not 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 thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, when the body is in the womb of her that is with child, even, so, canst thou not know the work of God, who maketh all.

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 thy seed, and, until evening, do not withhold thy hand, —for thou knowest not—whether shall thrive, either this or that, or whether, both alike, shall be fruitful.

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 Truly sweet is the light, —and, pleasant to the eyes, to see the sun:

夫光明は快き者なり 目に日を見るは樂し

8 But, though, many years, a man live, through them all, let him rejoice; yet let him remember the days of darkness, for many they may be, all that cometh, may be vanity.

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 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart gladden thee in the days of thine early manhood, and walk thou—in the ways of thine own heart, and in that which is seen by thine own eyes, —yet know, that, for all these things, will God bring thee into judgment.

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 Therefore remove thou vexation from thy heart, and put away discomfort from thy flesh, —for, youth and dawn, are vanity!

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