Ecclesiastes 4
1 Once again I thought about all the oppression that is done under the sun. And behold, the tears of oppressed people, and they had no one to comfort them! Power was in the hand of their oppressors, and there was no one to comfort them!
Verti me ad alia, et vidi calumnias, quae sub sole geruntur, et lacrymas innocentium, et neminem consolatorem: nec posse resistere eorum violentiae, cunctorum auxilio destitutos.
2 So I considered those who are already dead more fortunate than the living, who are still alive.
Et laudavi magis mortuos, quam viventes:
3 However, more fortunate than both of them is the one who has not yet lived, the one who has not seen any of the evil acts that are done under the sun.
et feliciorem utroque iudicavi, qui necdum natus est, nec vidit mala quae sub sole fiunt.
4 Then I saw that every act of labor and every skillful work became the envy of one's neighbor. This also is vapor and an attempt to shepherd the wind.
Rursum contemplatus sum omnes labores hominum, et industrias animadverti patere invidiae proximi: et in hoc ergo vanitas, et cura superflua est.
5 The fool folds his hands and does not work, so his food is his own flesh.
Stultus complicat manus suas, et comedit carnes suas, dicens:
6 But better is a handful of profit with quiet work than two handfuls with the work that tries to shepherd the wind.
Melior est pugillus cum requie, quam plena utraque manus cum labore, et afflictione animi.
7 Then I thought again about more futility, more vanishing vapor under the sun.
Considerans reperi et aliam vanitatem sub sole:
8 There is the kind of man who is alone. He does not have anyone, no son or brother. There is no end to all his work, and his eyes are not satisfied with gaining wealth. He wonders, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vapor, a bad situation.
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 afflictio pessima.
9 Two people work better than one; together they can earn a good pay for their labor.
Melius est ergo duos esse simul, quam unum: habent enim emolumentum societatis suae:
10 For if one falls, the other can lift up his friend. However, sorrow follows the one who is alone when he falls if there is no one to lift him up.
si unus ceciderit, ab altero fulcietur. vae soli: quia cum ceciderit, non habet sublevantem se.
11 If two lie down together, they can be warm, but how can one be warm alone?
Et si dormierint duo, fovebuntur mutuo: unus quomodo calefiet?
12 One man alone can be overpowered, but two can withstand an attack, and a three-strand rope is not quickly broken.
Et si quispiam praevaluerit contra unum, duo resistunt ei: funiculus triplex difficile rumpitur.
13 It is better to be a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to listen to warnings.
Melior est puer pauper et sapiens, rege sene et stulto, qui nescit praevidere in posterum.
14 This is true even if the young man becomes king from prison, or even if he was born poor in his kingdom.
Quod de carcere, catenisque interdum quis egrediatur ad regnum: et alius natus in regno, inopia consumatur.
15 I saw everyone who was alive and was walking around under the sun, along with a youth who was to rise up to take his place.
Vidi cunctos viventes, qui ambulant sub sole cum adolescente secundo, qui consurget pro eo.
16 There is no end to all the people who want to obey the new king, but later many of them will no longer praise him. Surely this situation is vapor and an attempt to shepherd the wind.
Infinitus numerus est populi omnium, qui fuerunt ante eum: et qui postea futuri sunt, non laetabuntur in eo. sed et hoc, vanitas et afflictio spiritus.
