Ecclesiastes 4
1 I thought some more about all the suffering that people are caused to experience on the earth [MTY]. I saw the tears of people who were (oppressed/treated cruelly) and who had no one to comfort/encourage them. Those who oppressed them had power, and there was absolutely no one who was able to comfort those who were being oppressed.
Et je revins à considérer toutes les oppressions qui ont lieu sous le soleil; et je vis les larmes des opprimés, et ils n'avaient point de consolateurs; et la violence qui venait de la main de leurs oppresseurs, et ils n'avaient point de consolateurs.
2 [So] I thought that those who are already dead are more fortunate than those who are still alive.
Alors je déclarai les morts, qui sont morts depuis longtemps, plus heureux que les vivants demeurés vivants jusques ici.
3 And those who have not been born yet are more fortunate than those who are still alive and those who have died, [because] those who have not been born have not seen all the evil things that are done on the earth.
Mais plus heureux que les uns et les autres est celui qui n'est pas arrivé dans cette vie, et n'a pas été témoin des méchantes actions qui se font sous le soleil. –
4 I also thought about all the hard work that people do and the skills that they have. And I thought about how they compete with each other because they are envious of others, [and I concluded that] this also is something that is not accomplishing anything useful, [like] chasing the wind.
Et je vis tout le labeur et tout le résultat de l'activité; c'était rivalité entre celui-ci et celui-là. Cela aussi est une vanité et un effort stérile. –
5 Foolish people [refuse to work]; they sit idly, with their hands folded, [and do not work]. [So] they ruin themselves.
L'insensé tient ses bras croisés, et se consume lui-même.
6 [So I say], “It is better to be content with not having much money, than to work very hard and try to get a lot of money, which is [as useless as] chasing the wind.”
Mieux vaut le creux de la main rempli de repos, que deux pleines poignées de labeur et d'effort stérile. –
7 I thought about something else that happens on the earth [MTY] that seems senseless.
Et je vis encore une vanité sous le soleil.
8 There are men who live alone; they do not have a wife or children or any brothers living with them; every day they work [very hard], without stopping, to get a lot of money, but they are never satisfied with the things that they have. They never ask [themselves], “Why am I working very hard to earn more money? Why am I not doing things that would cause me to be happy?” What they do also seems senseless.
Cet homme est seul, et n'a pas un autre lui-même; il n'a ni fils, ni frère, et cependant son labeur est sans fin, et ses yeux n'ont jamais assez des richesses. Pour qui donc est-ce que je me peine, et sèvre mon âme du bonheur? C'est aussi là une vanité et une tâche ingrate.
9 Having someone [work] with you is better than being by yourself [all the time]. If you have a friend, he can help you to do your work.
Deux valent mieux qu'un, car ils retirent un bon salaire de leur travail.
10 If you fall down, he can help you get up again. But if you fall down when you are alone, it will be difficult for you, because there will be no one to help you stand up.
En effet, s'ils tombent, l'un relève l'autre; mais malheur à celui qui est seul et qui tombe, et n'a pas un second pour le relever!
11 Similarly, if two people sleep together, they can keep each other warm. But someone who sleeps alone will certainly not [RHQ] be warm.
De même quand deux couchent ensemble, ils ont chaud; mais celui qui est seul, comment aurait-il chaud?
12 Someone who is alone can easily be attacked and defeated by another person, but two people can help each other and (resist/defend themselves against) someone who attacks them. [Three people can defend themselves even more easily], [like] a rope that is made from three cords is harder to break [than a rope made from two cords].
Et si quelqu'un attaque l'un des deux, ils seront à deux pour lui tenir tête; et le triple cordon n'est pas vite rompu. –
13 A young man who is poor but wise is a better person than a foolish old king who refuses to pay attention when people try to give him good advice.
Un enfant pauvre, mais sage, vaut mieux qu'un roi vieux et insensé qui ne sait plus être éclairé.
14 It is possible for a young man like that to succeed and some day become king, even if his parents were poor or even if he was in prison some of the time.
Car il sortit de la maison des prisonniers pour être roi, quoique né pauvre dans le royaume qui serait le sien.
15 But then some other young man becomes king, and everyone (starts to support/is pleased with) him.
Je vis tous les vivants qui se promènent sous le soleil escorter l'enfant, cet autre, qui succéda au trône:
16 Large crowds of people crowd around him. But after a few years, they will reject him, [too]. So it is all senseless, [like] chasing after the wind.
tout le peuple, tous ceux à la tête desquels il était, ne finissaient pas; eh bien! les après-venants ne seront plus ravis de lui. C'est que cela aussi est une vanité et un effort stérile.
