Ecclésiaste 4
1 Puis je me suis mis à regarder toutes les injustices qui se font sous le soleil; et voilà les larmes de ceux à qui on fait tort, et ils n'ont point de consolation; et la force est du côté de ceux qui leur font tort, et ils n'ont point 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 plus les morts qui sont déjà morts, 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 Même j'estime celui qui n'a pas encore été, plus heureux que les uns et les autres; car il n'a pas vu les mauvaises actions qui se font 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 Puis j'ai regardé tout le travail, et l'adresse de chaque métier, [et j'ai vu] que l'un porte envie à l'autre; cela aussi est une vanité, et un rongement d'esprit.
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 fou tient ses mains ployées, et se consume soi-même, [en disant]:
Foolish people [refuse to work]; they sit idly, with their hands folded, [and do not work]. [So] they ruin themselves.
6 Mieux vaut plein le creux de la main, avec repos, que pleines les deux paumes, [avec] travail et rongement d'esprit.
[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 Puis je me suis mis à regarder une [autre] vanité sous le soleil;
I thought about something else that happens on the earth [MTY] that seems senseless.
8 C'est qu'il y a tel qui est seul, et qui n'a point de second, qui aussi n'a ni fils ni frère, et qui cependant ne met nulle fin à son travail; même son œil ne voit jamais assez de richesses, [et il ne dit point en lui-même]: Pour qui est-ce que je travaille, et que je prive mon âme du bien? Cela aussi [est] une vanité, et une fâcheuse 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 meilleur 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 Même si l'un des deux tombe, l'autre relèvera son compagnon; mais malheur à celui qui est seul; parce qu'étant tombé, il n'aura personne 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 Si deux aussi couchent ensemble, ils en auront [plus] de 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 Que si quelqu'un force l'un ou l'autre, les deux lui pourront résister; et la corde à trois cordons ne se rompt pas sitôt.
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 Un enfant pauvre et sage vaut mieux qu'un Roi vieux et insensé, qui ne sait ce que c'est que d'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 y a tel qui sort de prison pour régner; et de même il y a tel qui étant né Roi, devient pauvre.
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, [suivre] le fils qui est la seconde personne [après le Roi ], et qui doit être en sa place.
But then some other young man becomes king, and everyone (starts to support/is pleased with) him.
16 Tout ce peuple-là, [savoir] tous ceux qui ont été devant ceux-ci, est sans fin; ces derniers aussi ne se réjouiront point de celui-ci; certainement cela aussi est une vanité, et un rongement d'esprit.
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.
