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
For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under 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 tear, 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 has he who works in that in which he labours?
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 burden which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.
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 has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts, yet so that man can’t find out the work that God has 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 do good as 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
Also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in 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 whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; and God has done 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 has been long ago, and that which is to be has been long ago. God seeks again that which is passed away.
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
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, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked; 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, “As for the sons of men, God tests them, so that they may see that they themselves are like animals.
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 happens to the sons of men happens to animals. Even one thing happens to them. As the one dies, so the other dies. Yes, they have all one breath; and man has no advantage over the animals, 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 to one place. All are from the dust, and all turn to dust again.
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 knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes 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
Therefore I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his works, for that is his portion; for who can bring him to see what will be after him?
