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

Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it 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

Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon 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] upon the earth: and if the tree falleth towards the south, or towards the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.

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

He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.

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 thou knowest not what [is] the way of the spirit, [nor] the structure of the parts of conception in her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.

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 sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both [shall be] alike 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 a pleasant [thing it is] for the eyes to behold 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

But if a man shall live many years, [and] rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh [is] vanity.

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

Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thy eyes: but know thou, that for all these [things] God will bring thee into judgment.

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

Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth [are] vanity.