Ecclesiastes 4
1 Then again, I, considered all the oppressive deeds which were done under the sun, —and lo! the tears of the oppressed, and they have no comforter, and, on the side of their oppressing, is power, and they have no comforter.
茲に我身を轉して日の下に行はるる諸の虐遇を視たり 嗚呼虐げらる者の涙ながる 之を慰むる者あらざるなり また虐ぐる者の手には權力あり 彼等はこれを慰むる者あらざるなり
2 So, I, pronounced happy the dead, who were, already, dead, —more than the living, who were living, still;
我は猶生る生者よりも旣に死たる死者をもて幸なりとす
3 and, as better than both, him who had not yet come into being, —who had not seen the vexatious work, which was done under the sun.
またこの二者よりも幸なるは未だ世にあらずして日の下におこなはるる惡事を見ざる者なり
4 Then saw, I, all the toil and all the skill of the work, that, for this, a man was envied of his neighbour, —even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.
我また諸の勞苦と諸の工事の精巧とを觀るに 是は人のたがひに嫉みあひて成せる者たるなり 是も空にして風を捕ふるが如し
5 The dullard, claspeth his hands, and consumeth his own flesh.
愚なる者は手を束ねてその身の肉を食ふ
6 Better a handful—with quietness, —than both hands, full—with toil, and feeding on wind.
片手に物を盈て平穩にあるは 兩手に物を盈て勞苦て風を捕ふるに愈れり
7 Then again, I, looked at a vain thing under the sun: —
我また身をめぐらし日の下に空なる事のあるを見たり
8 Here is one, without a second, even son or brother, he hath none, yet is there no end to all his toil, even his eye, is not satisfied with riches, —neither [saith he] For whom, am I toiling, and letting my soul want good? Even this, was vanity, yea a vexatious employment, it was!
茲に人あり只獨にして伴侶もなく子もなく兄弟もなし 然るにその勞苦は都て窮なくの目は富に飽ことなし 彼また言ず嗚呼我は誰がために勞するや何とて我は心を樂ませざるやと 是もまた空にして勞力の苦き者なり
9 Better are two, than one, —in that they have a good reward for their toil.
二人は一人に愈る其はその勞苦のために善報を得ればなり
10 For, if the one should fall, [the other] would raise up his companion, —but alas! for him who is alone when he falleth, with no second to raise him up!
即ちその跌倒る時には一箇の人その伴侶を扶けおこすべし 然ど孤身にして跌倒る者は憐なるかな之を扶けおこす者なきなり
11 Moreover, if two lie together, then have they warmth, —but how can, one, have warmth?
又二人ともに寝れば温暖なり一人ならば爭で温暖ならんや
12 And, though an enemy should prevail against one, two, might make a stand before him, —and, a threefold cord, cannot soon be broken.
人もしその一人を攻撃ば二人してこれに當るべし 三根の繩は容易く斷ざるなり
13 Better a boy poor and wise, —than a king, old and stupid, who knoweth not how to take warning any longer.
貧くして賢き童子は 老て愚にして諌を納れざる王に愈る
14 For, out of prison, came he forth to reign, yea, even in his own kingdom, was he born poor.
彼は牢獄より出て王となれり 然どその國に生れし時は貧かりき
15 I saw all the living, who were going hither and thither under the sun, —[that they were] with the boy who was to be the second, who was to stand in the other’s place: —
我日の下にあゆむところの群生が彼王に続てこれに代りて立ところの童子とともにあるを觀たり
16 There was no end to all the people, to all before whom he came, yet, they who should come later, would not rejoice in him, —surely, even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.
民はすべて際限なし その前にありし者みな然り 後にきたる者また彼を悦ばず 是も空にして風を捕ふるがごとし
