Ecclésiaste 4
1 Et je me suis tourné, et j’ai regardé toutes les oppressions qui se font sous le soleil; et voici les larmes des opprimés, et il n’y a point pour eux de consolateur! Et la force est dans la main de leurs oppresseurs, et il n’y a point pour eux de consolateur!
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.
2 C’est pourquoi j’estime heureux les morts qui sont déjà morts, plutôt que les vivants qui sont encore vivants,
[So] I thought that those who are already dead are more fortunate than those who are still alive.
3 et plus heureux encore que tous les deux celui qui n’a pas encore été, qui n’a pas vu le mauvais travail qui se fait sous le soleil.
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.
4 Et j’ai vu tout le labeur et toute l’habileté dans le travail: que c’est une jalousie de l’un contre l’autre. Cela aussi est vanité et poursuite du vent.
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.
5 Le sot se croise les mains, et mange sa propre chair.
Foolish people [refuse to work]; they sit idly, with their hands folded, [and do not work]. [So] they ruin themselves.
6 Mieux vaut le creux de la main rempli, et le repos, que les deux mains pleines, avec le travail et la poursuite du vent.
[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.”
7 Et je me tournai, et je vis la vanité sous le soleil:
I thought about something else that happens on the earth [MTY] that seems senseless.
8 tel est seul sans qu’il y ait de second: il n’a pas non plus de fils ni de frère, et il n’y a pas de fin à tout son labeur; son œil n’est pas non plus rassasié par la richesse, et [il ne se dit pas]: Pour qui donc est-ce que je me tourmente et que je prive mon âme de bonheur? Cela aussi est une vanité et une ingrate occupation.
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.
9 Deux valent mieux qu’un; car ils ont un bon salaire de leur travail.
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.
10 Car, s’ils tombent, l’un relèvera son compagnon; mais malheur à celui qui est seul, et qui tombe, et qui n’a pas de second pour le relever!
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.
11 De même, si l’on couche à deux, on a de la chaleur; mais celui qui est seul, comment aura-t-il chaud?
Similarly, if two people sleep together, they can keep each other warm. But someone who sleeps alone will certainly not [RHQ] be warm.
12 Et si quelqu’un a le dessus sur un seul, les deux lui tiendront tête; et la corde triple ne se rompt pas vite.
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].
13 Mieux vaut un jeune garçon pauvre et sage, qu’un roi vieux et sot qui ne sait plus être averti.
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.
14 Car il est sorti de la maison des prisonniers pour régner, lors même qu’il est né pauvre dans son royaume.
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.
15 J’ai vu tous les vivants qui marchent sous le soleil, avec le jeune garçon, le second, qui occupera sa place.
But then some other young man becomes king, and everyone (starts to support/is pleased with) him.
16 Il n’y a pas de fin à tout le peuple, à tous ceux qui ont été devant eux; cependant ceux qui viendront après ne se réjouiront point en lui. Car cela aussi est vanité et poursuite du vent.
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.
