伝道者の書 6
1 我觀るに日の下に一件の患あり是は人の間に恒なる者なり
There is another evil I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily upon mankind:
2 すなはち神富と財と貴を人にあたへて その心に慕ふ者を一件もこれに缺ることなからしめたまひながらも 神またその人に之を食ふことを得せしめたまはずして 他人のこれを食ふことあり 是空なり惡き疾なり
God gives a man riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires; but God does not allow him to enjoy them. Instead, a stranger will enjoy them. This is futile and a grievous affliction.
3 假令人百人の子を擧けまた長壽してその年齢の日多からんも 若その心景福に滿足せざるか又は葬らるることを得ざるあれば 我言ふ流產の子はその人にまさるたり
A man may father a hundred children and live for many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he is unsatisfied with his prosperity and does not even receive a proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.
4 夫流產の子はその來ること空しくして黑暗の中に去ゆきその名は黑暗の中にかくるるなり
For a stillborn child enters in futility and departs in darkness, and his name is shrouded in obscurity.
5 又是は日を見ることなく物を知ることなければ彼よりも安泰なり
The child, though neither seeing the sun nor knowing anything, has more rest than that man,
6 人の壽命千年に倍するとも福祉を蒙れるにはあらず 皆一所に往くにあらずや
even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?
7 人の勞苦は皆その口のためなり その心はなほも飽ざるところ有り
All a man’s labor is for his mouth, yet his appetite is never satisfied.
8 賢者なんぞ愚者に勝るところあらんや また世人の前に歩行ことを知ところの貧者も何の勝るところ有んや
What advantage, then, has the wise man over the fool? What gain comes to the poor man who knows how to conduct himself before others?
9 目に觀る事物は心のさまよひ歩くに愈るなり 是また空にして風を捕ふるがごとし
Better what the eye can see than the wandering of desire. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
10 嘗て在し者は久しき前にすでにその名を命られたり 即ち是は人なりと知る 然ば是はかの自己よりも力強き者と爭ふことを得ざるなり
Whatever exists was named long ago, and what happens to a man is foreknown; but he cannot contend with one stronger than he.
11 衆多の言論ありて虚浮き事を増す然ど人に何の益あらんや
For the more words, the more futility—and how does that profit anyone?
12 人はその虚空き生命の日を影のごとくに送るなり 誰かこの世において如何なる事か人のために善き者なるやを知ん 誰かその身の後に日の下にあらんところの事を人に告うる者あらんや
For who knows what is good for a man during the few days in which he passes through his fleeting life like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will come after him under the sun?
