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.
Me volví y vi todas las violencias que se hacen debajo del sol; y he aquí las lágrimas de los oprimidos, y que no tienen consolador; y que la fuerza estaba en la mano de sus opresores, y para ellos no había consolador.
2 [So] I thought that those who are already dead are more fortunate than those who are still alive.
Y alabé yo a los finados que ya murieron, más que a los vivientes que hasta ahora están vivos.
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.
Y tuve por mejor que ellos ambos al que no ha sido aún, porque no ha visto las malas obras que se hacen debajo del sol.
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.
He visto asimismo que todo trabajo y toda rectitud de obras mueve la envidia del hombre contra su prójimo. También esto es vanidad y aflicción de espíritu.
5 Foolish people [refuse to work]; they sit idly, with their hands folded, [and do not work]. [So] they ruin themselves.
El loco dobla sus manos y come su misma carne.
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.”
Más vale un puño lleno con descanso, que ambos puños llenos con trabajo y aflicción de espíritu.
7 I thought about something else that happens on the earth [MTY] that seems senseless.
Yo me volví otra vez, y vi otra vanidad debajo del sol.
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.
Es el hombre solo y sin sucesor; que ni tiene hijo ni hermano; mas nunca cesa de trabajar, ni aun sus ojos se sacian de sus riquezas, ni piensa: ¿Para quién trabajo yo, y defraudo mi alma del bien? También esto es vanidad, y duro trabajo.
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.
Mejores son dos que uno; porque tienen mejor paga de su trabajo.
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.
Porque si cayeren, el uno levantará a su compañero; mas ¡ay del solo! que cuando cayere, no habrá segundo que lo levante.
11 Similarly, if two people sleep together, they can keep each other warm. But someone who sleeps alone will certainly not [RHQ] be warm.
También si dos durmieren juntos, se calentarán; mas ¿cómo se calentará uno solo?
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].
Y si alguno prevaleciere contra uno, dos estarán contra él; y cordón de tres dobleces no presto se rompe.
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.
Mejor es el niño pobre y sabio, que el rey viejo y loco que no puede ser avisado.
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.
Porque de la cárcel salió para reinar; aunque en su reino nació pobre.
15 But then some other young man becomes king, and everyone (starts to support/is pleased with) him.
Vi a todos los vivientes debajo del sol caminando con el niño, sucesor, que estará en lugar de aquél.
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.
No tiene fin todo el pueblo que fue antes de ellos; tampoco los que vendrán después estarán con él contentos. También esto es vanidad y aflicción de espíritu.
