伝道者の書 3
1 天が下の萬の事には期あり 萬の事務には時あり
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2 生るるに時あり死るに時あり 植るに時あり植たる者を抜に時あり
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 殺すに時あり醫すに時あり 毀つに時あり建るに時あり
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 泣に時あり笑ふに時あり 悲むに時あり躍るに時あり
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 石を擲つに時あり石を斂むるに時あり 懐くに時あり懐くことをせざるに時あり
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 得に時あり失ふに時あり 保つに時あり棄るに時あり
A time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 裂に時あり縫に時あり 默すに時あり語るに時あり
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 愛しむに時あり惡むに時あり 戰ふに時あり和ぐに時あり
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.
9 働く者はその勞して爲ところよりして何の益を得んや
What profit hath he that worketh in that he laboureth?
10 我神が世の人にさづけて身をこれに勞せしめたまふところの事件を視たり
I have seen the task which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.
11 神の爲したまふところは皆その時に適ひて美麗しかり 神はまた人の心に永遠をおもふの思念を賦けたまへり 然ば人は神のなしたまふ作爲を始より終まで知明むることを得ざるなり
He hath made every thing beautiful in its time; also He hath set the world in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end.
12 我知る人の中にはその世にある時に快樂をなし善をおこなふより外に善事はあらず
I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to get pleasure so long as they live.
13 また人はみな食飮をなしその勞苦によりて逸樂を得べきなり 是すなはち神の賜物たり
But also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy pleasure for all his labour, is the gift of God.
14 我知る凡て神のなしたまふ事は限なく存せん 是は加ふべき所なく是は減すべきところ無し 神の之をなしたまふは人をしてその前に畏れしめんがためなり
I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever; nothing can be added to it, nor any thing taken from it; and God hath so made it, that men should fear before Him.
15 昔ありたる者は今もあり 後にあらん者は旣にありし者なり 神はその遂やられし者を索めたまふ
That which is hath been long ago, and that which is to be hath already been; and God seeketh that which is pursued.
16 我また日の下を見るに審判をおこなふ所に邪曲なる事あり 公義を行ふところに邪曲なる事あり
And moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there.
17 我すなはち心に謂けらく神は義者と惡者とを鞫きたまはん 彼處において萬の事と萬の所爲に時あるなり
I said in my heart: 'The righteous and the wicked God will judge; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.'
18 我また心に謂けらく是事あるは是世の人のためなり 即ち神は斯世の人を撿して之にその獣のごとくなることを自ら暁らしめ給ふなり
I said in my heart: 'It is because of the sons of men, that God may sift them, and that they may see that they themselves are but as beasts.'
19 世の人に臨むところの事はまた獣にも臨む この二者に臨むところの事は同一にして是も死ば彼も死るなり 皆同一の呼吸に依れり 人は獣にまさる所なし皆空なり
For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them; as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that man hath no pre-eminence above a beast; for all is vanity.
20 皆一の所に往く 皆塵より出で皆塵にかへるなり
All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all return to dust.
21 誰か人の魂の上に昇り獣の魂の地にくだることを知ん
Who knoweth the spirit of man whether it goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast whether it goeth downward to the earth?
22 然ば人はその動作によりて逸樂をなすに如はなし 是その分なればなり 我これを見る その身の後の事は誰かこれを携へゆきて見さしむる者あらんや
Wherefore I perceived that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion; for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
