Ecclesiaste 4
1 Mi son messo poi a considerare tutte le oppressioni che si commettono sotto il sole; ed ecco, le lacrime degli oppressi, i quali non hanno chi li consoli e dal lato dei loro oppressori la violenza, mentre quelli non hanno chi li consoli.
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 Ond’io ho stimato i morti, che son già morti, più felici de’ vivi che son vivi tuttora;
[So] I thought that those who are already dead are more fortunate than those who are still alive.
3 è più felice degli uni e degli altri, colui che non è ancora venuto all’esistenza, e non ha ancora vedute le azioni malvage che si commettono sotto il sole.
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 E ho visto che ogni fatica e ogni buona riuscita nel lavoro provocano invidia dell’uno contro l’altro. Anche questo è vanità e un correr dietro al vento.
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 Lo stolto incrocia le braccia e mangia la sua propria carne.
Foolish people [refuse to work]; they sit idly, with their hands folded, [and do not work]. [So] they ruin themselves.
6 Val meglio una mano piena di riposo, che ambo le mani piene di travaglio e di corsa dietro al vento.
[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 E ho visto anche un’altra vanità sotto il sole:
I thought about something else that happens on the earth [MTY] that seems senseless.
8 un tale è solo, senz’alcuno che gli stia da presso; non ha né figlio né fratello, e nondimeno s’affatica senza fine, e i suoi occhi non si sazian mai di ricchezze. E non riflette: Ma per chi dunque m’affatico e privo l’anima mia d’ogni bene? Anche questa è una vanità e un’ingrata occupazione.
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 Due valgon meglio d’un solo, perché sono ben ricompensati della loro fatica.
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 Poiché, se l’uno cade, l’altro rialza il suo compagno; ma guai a colui ch’è solo, e cade senz’avere un altro che lo rialzi!
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 Così pure, se due dormono assieme, si riscaldano; ma chi è solo, come farà a riscaldarsi?
Similarly, if two people sleep together, they can keep each other warm. But someone who sleeps alone will certainly not [RHQ] be warm.
12 E se uno tenta di sopraffare colui ch’è solo, due gli terranno testa; una corda a tre capi non si rompe così presto.
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 Meglio un giovinetto povero e savio, d’un re vecchio e stolto che non sa più ricevere ammonimenti.
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 E’ uscito di prigione per esser re: egli, ch’era nato povero nel suo futuro regno.
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 Io ho visto tutti i viventi che vanno e vengono sotto il sole unirsi al giovinetto, che dovea succedere al re e regnare al suo posto.
But then some other young man becomes king, and everyone (starts to support/is pleased with) him.
16 Senza fine eran tutto il popolo, tutti quelli alla testa dei quali ei si trovava. Eppure, quelli che verranno in seguito non si rallegreranno di lui! Anche questo è vanità e un correr dietro al vento.
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.
