< 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
And remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of evil come, and the years overtake [you] in which you shall 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 and light are not darkened, nor the moon and the stars; nor the clouds return 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 wherein the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the mighty men shall become bent, and the grinding [women] cease because they have become few, and the [women] looking out at the windows be dark;
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
and they shall shut the doors in the marketplace, because of the weakness of the voice of her that grinds [at the mill]; and he shall rise up at the voice of the sparrow, and all the daughters of song shall be brought 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 they shall look up, and fears [shall be] in the way, and the almond tree shall blossom, and the locust shall increase, and the caper shall be scattered: because man has gone to his eternal home, and the mourners have gone about the market:
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 the silver cord be [let go], or the choice gold be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel run down to the cistern;
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
[before] the dust also return to the earth as it was, and the spirit return to God who gave it.
8 傳道者云ふ空の空なるかな皆空なり
Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher; all is vanity.
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 above [others, so it was] that he taught man excellent knowledge, and the ear will trace out the parables.
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 sought diligently to find out acceptable words, and a correct writing, [even] words of truth.
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 as goads, and as nails firmly fastened, which have been given from one shepherd by agreement.
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 moreover, my son, guard yourself by means of them: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of 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
Hear the end of the matter, the sun: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole 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
For God will bring every work into judgement, with everything that has been overlooked, whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil.

< 伝道者の書 12 >