< 伝道者の書 12 >

1 汝の少き日に汝の造主を記えよ 即ち惡き日の來り年のよりて我は早何も樂むところ無しと言にいたらざる先
Let your mind be turned to your Maker in the days of your strength, while the evil days come not, and the years are far away when you will say, I have no pleasure in them;
2 また日や光明や月や星の暗くならざる先 雨の後に雲の返らざる中に汝然せよ
While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, are not dark, and the clouds come not back after the rain;
3 その日いたる時は家を守る者は慄ひ 力ある人は屈み 磨碎者は寡きによりて息み 窓より窺ふ者は目昏むなり
In the day when the keepers of the house are shaking for fear, and the strong men are bent down, and the women who were crushing the grain are at rest because their number is small, and those looking out of the windows are unable to see;
4 磨こなす聲低くなれば衢の門は閉づ その人は鳥の聲に起あがり 歌の女子はみな身を卑くす
When the doors are shut in the street, and the sound of the crushing is low, and the voice of the bird is soft, and the daughters of music will be made low;
5 かかる人々は高き者を恐る畏しき者多く途にあり 巴旦杏は花咲くまた蝗もその身に重くその嗜欲は廢る 人永遠の家にいたらんとすれば哭婦衢にゆきかふ
And he is in fear of that which is high, and danger is in the road, and the tree is white with flower, and the least thing is a weight, and desire is at an end, because man goes to his last resting-place, and those who are sorrowing are in the streets;
6 然る時には銀の紐は解け金の盞は碎け吊瓶は泉の側に壞れ轆轤は井の傍に破ん
Before ever the silver cord is cut, or the vessel of gold is broken, or the pot is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the water-hole;
7 而して塵は本の如くに土に皈り 霊魂はこれを賦けし神にかへるべし
And the dust goes back to the earth as it was, and the spirit goes back to God who gave it.
8 傳道者云ふ空の空なるかな皆空なり
All things are to no purpose, says the Preacher, all is to no purpose.
9 また傳道者は智慧あるが故に恒に知識を民に敎へたり 彼は心をもちひて尋ね究め許多の箴言を作れり
And because the Preacher was wise he still gave the people knowledge; searching out, testing, and putting in order a great number of wise sayings.
10 傳道者は務めて佳美き言詞を求めたり その書しるしたる者は正直して眞實の言語なり
The Preacher made search for words which were pleasing, but his writing was in words upright and true.
11 智者の言語は刺鞭のごとく 會衆の師の釘たる釘のごとくにして 一人の牧者より出し者なり
The words of the wise are pointed, and sayings grouped together are like nails fixed with a hammer; they are given by one guide.
12 わが子よ是等より訓誡をうけよ 多く書をつくれば竟なし 多く學べば體疲る
And further, my son, take note of this: of the making of books there is no end, and much learning is a weariness to the flesh.
13 事の全體の皈する所を聽べし 云く 神を畏れその誡命を守れ 是は諸の人の本分たり
This is the last word. All has been said. Have fear of God and keep his laws; because this is right for every man.
14 神は一切の行爲ならびに一切の隠れたる事を善惡ともに審判たまふなり
God will be judge of every work, with every secret thing, good or evil.

< 伝道者の書 12 >