קֹהֶלֶת 4

1 ושבתי אני ואראה את כל העשקים אשר נעשים תחת השמש והנה דמעת העשקים ואין להם מנחם ומיד עשקיהם כח ואין להם מנחם

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 ושבח אני את המתים שכבר מתו--מן החיים אשר המה חיים עדנה

[So] I thought that those who are already dead are more fortunate than those who are still alive.

3 וטוב משניהם--את אשר עדן לא היה אשר לא ראה את המעשה הרע אשר נעשה תחת השמש

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 וראיתי אני את כל עמל ואת כל כשרון המעשה--כי היא קנאת איש מרעהו גם זה הבל ורעות רוח

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 הכסיל חבק את ידיו ואכל את בשרו

Foolish people [refuse to work]; they sit idly, with their hands folded, [and do not work]. [So] they ruin themselves.

6 טוב מלא כף נחת--ממלא חפנים עמל ורעות רוח

[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 ושבתי אני ואראה הבל תחת השמש

I thought about something else that happens on the earth [MTY] that seems senseless.

8 יש אחד ואין שני גם בן ואח אין לו ואין קץ לכל עמלו--גם עיניו (עינו) לא תשבע עשר ולמי אני עמל ומחסר את נפשי מטובה--גם זה הבל וענין רע הוא

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 טובים השנים מן האחד אשר יש להם שכר טוב בעמלם

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 כי אם יפלו האחד יקים את חברו ואילו האחד שיפול ואין שני להקימו

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 גם אם ישכבו שנים וחם להם ולאחד איך יחם

Similarly, if two people sleep together, they can keep each other warm. But someone who sleeps alone will certainly not [RHQ] be warm.

12 ואם יתקפו האחד--השנים יעמדו נגדו והחוט המשלש לא במהרה ינתק

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 טוב ילד מסכן וחכם--ממלך זקן וכסיל אשר לא ידע להזהר עוד

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 כי מבית הסורים יצא למלך כי גם במלכותו נולד רש

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 ראיתי את כל החיים המהלכים תחת השמש--עם הילד השני אשר יעמד תחתיו

But then some other young man becomes king, and everyone (starts to support/is pleased with) him.

16 אין קץ לכל העם לכל אשר היה לפניהם--גם האחרונים לא ישמחו בו כי גם זה הבל ורעיון רוח

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.