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!
Nang magkagayo'y pumihit ako, at aking nakita ang lahat na kapighatian na nagawa sa ilalim ng araw: at, narito, ang mga luha ng mga yaon, na napipighati, at wala silang mangaaliw: at sa siping ng mga mamimighati sa kanila ay may kapangyarihan, nguni't wala silang mangaaliw.
2 So I considered those who are already dead more fortunate than the living, who are still alive.
Kaya't aking pinuri ang patay na namatay na, ng higit kay sa may buhay na nabubuhay pa;
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.
Oo, maigi kay sa kanila kapuwa ang hindi ipinanganganak, na hindi nakakita ng masamang gawa na nagawa sa ilalim ng araw.
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.
Nang magkagayo'y nakita ko ang lahat na gawa, at bawa't gawang mainam na dahil dito ay pinananaghilian ang tao ng kaniyang kapuwa. Ito man ay walang kabuluhan at nauuwi sa wala.
5 The fool folds his hands and does not work, so his food is his own flesh.
Inihahalukipkip ng mangmang ang kaniyang mga kamay, at kumakain ng kaniyang sariling laman.
6 But better is a handful of profit with quiet work than two handfuls with the work that tries to shepherd the wind.
Maigi ang isang dakot na may katahimikan, kay sa dalawang dakot na may kahirapan at walang kabuluhan.
7 Then I thought again about more futility, more vanishing vapor under the sun.
Nang magkagayo'y bumalik ako at aking nakita ang walang kabuluhan sa ilalim ng araw.
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.
May isa na nagiisa, at siya'y walang pangalawa; oo, siya'y walang anak o kapatid man; gayon ma'y walang wakas sa lahat niyang gawa, ni nasisiyahan man ang kaniyang mga mata sa mga kayamanan. Dahil kanino nga, sabi niya, nagpapagal ako, at binabawahan ko ang aking kaluluwa ng mabuti? Ito man ay walang kabuluhan, oo, mahirap na damdam.
9 Two people work better than one; together they can earn a good pay for their labor.
Dalawa ay maigi kay sa isa; sapagka't sila'y may mabuting kagantihan sa kanilang gawa.
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.
Sapagka't kung sila'y mabuwal, ibabangon ng isa ang kaniyang kasama; nguni't sa aba niya, na nagiisa pagka siya'y nabuwal, at walang iba na magbangon sa kaniya.
11 If two lie down together, they can be warm, but how can one be warm alone?
Muli, kung ang dalawa ay mahigang magkasama, may init nga sila: nguni't paanong makapagpapainit ang isa na nagiisa?
12 One man alone can be overpowered, but two can withstand an attack, and a three-strand rope is not quickly broken.
At kung ang isang tao ay manaig laban sa kaniya na nagiisa, ang dalawa ay makalalaban sa kaniya; at ang panaling tatlong ikid ay hindi napapatid na madali.
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.
Maigi ang dukha at pantas na bata kay sa matanda at mangmang na hari, na hindi nakakaalam ng pagtanggap ng payo pa.
14 This is true even if the young man becomes king from prison, or even if he was born poor in his kingdom.
Sapagka't mula sa bilangguan ay lumabas siya upang maghari; oo, sa kaniyang kaharian nga ay ipinanganak siyang dukha.
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.
Aking nakita ang lahat na may buhay, na nagsisilakad sa ilalim ng araw, na sila'y kasama ng bata, ng ikalawa, na tumatayo na kahalili niya.
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.
Walang wakas sa lahat ng bayan, sa makatuwid baga'y sa lahat na pinaghaharian niya: gayon ma'y silang darating pagkatapos ay hindi mangagagalak sa kaniya. Tunay na ito man ay walang kabuluhan at nauuwi sa wala.
