伝道者の書 11

1 汝の糧食を水の上に投げよ 多くの日の後に汝ふたたび之を得ん

Send out your bread on the waters, for you will find it again after many days.

2 汝一箇の分を七また八にわかて 其は汝如何なる災害の地にあらんかを知ざればなり

Share it with seven, even eight people, for you do not know what disasters are coming on the earth.

3 雲もし雨の充るあれば地に注ぐ また樹もし南か北に倒るるあればその樹は倒れたる處にあるべし

If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves on the earth, and if a tree falls toward the south or toward the north, wherever the tree falls, there it will remain.

4 風を伺ふ者は種播ことを得ず 雲を望む者は刈ことを得ず

Anyone who watches the wind might not plant, and anyone who watches the clouds might not harvest.

5 汝は風の道の如何なるを知ず また孕める婦の胎にて骨の如何に生長つを知ず 斯汝は萬事を爲たまふ神の作爲を知ことなし

As you do not know the path of the wind, nor how a baby's bones grow in the pregnant womb, so also you cannot comprehend the work of God, who created everything.

6 汝朝に種を播け 夕にも手を歇るなかれ 其はその實る者は此なるか彼なるか又は二者ともに美なるや汝これを知ざればなり

In the morning plant your seed; until the evening, work with your hands as needed, for you know not which will prosper, whether morning or evening, or this or that, or whether they will both alike be good.

7 夫光明は快き者なり 目に日を見るは樂し

Truly the light is sweet, and it is a pleasant thing for the eyes to see the sun.

8 人多くの年生ながらへてその中凡て幸福なるもなほ幽暗の日を憶ふべきなり 其はその數も多かるべければなり 凡て來らんところの事は皆空なり

If someone lives many years, let him be happy in all of them, but let him think about the coming days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything to come is vanishing vapor.

9 少者よ汝の少き時に快樂をなせ 汝の少き日に汝の心を悦ばしめ汝の心の道に歩み汝の目に見るところを爲せよ 但しその諸の行爲のために神汝を鞫きたまはんと知べし

Take joy, young man, in your youth, and let your heart be joyful in the days of your youth. Pursue the good desires of your heart, and whatever is within the sight of your eyes. However, know that God will bring you into judgment for all these things.

10 然ば汝の心より憂を去り 汝の身より惡き者を除け 少き時と壯なる時はともに空なればなり

Drive anger away from your heart, and ignore any pain in your body, because youth and its strength are vapor.