伝道者の書 1
1 ダビデの子 ヱルサレムの王 傳道者の言
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 傳道者言く 空の空 空の空なる哉 都て空なり
“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
3 日の下に人の勞して爲ところの諸の動作はその身に何の益かあらん
What does man gain from all his labour in which he labours under the sun?
4 世は去り世は來る 地は永久に長存なり
One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever.
5 日は出で日は入り またその出し處に喘ぎゆくなり
The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it rises.
6 風は南に行き又轉りて北にむかひ 旋轉に旋りて行き 風復その旋轉る處にかへる。
The wind goes towards the south, and turns around to the north. It turns around continually as it goes, and the wind returns again to its courses.
7 河はみな海に流れ入る 海は盈ること無し 河はその出きたれる處に復還りゆくなり
All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, there they flow again.
8 萬の物は勞苦す 人これを言つくすことあたはず 目は見に飽ことなく耳は聞に充ること無し
All things are full of weariness beyond uttering. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 曩に有し者はまた後にあるべし 曩に成し事はまた後に成べし 日の下には新しき者あらざるなり
That which has been is that which shall be, and that which has been done is that which shall be done; and there is no new thing under the sun.
10 見よ是は新しき者なりと指て言べき物あるや 其は我等の前にありし世々に旣に久しくありたる者なり
Is there a thing of which it may be said, “Behold, this is new”? It has been long ago, in the ages which were before us.
11 己前のものの事はこれを記憶ることなし 以後のものの事もまた後に出る者これをおぼゆることあらじ
There is no memory of the former; neither shall there be any memory of the latter that are to come, amongst those that shall come after.
12 われ傳道者はヱルサレムにありてイスラエルの王たりき
I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 我心を盡し智慧をもちひて天が下に行はるる諸の事を尋ねかつ考覈たり此苦しき事件は神が世の人にさづけて之に身を勞せしめたまふ者なり
I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the sky. It is a heavy burden that God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.
14 我日の下に作ところの諸の行爲を見たり 嗚呼皆空にして風を捕ふるがごとし
I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.
15 曲れる者は直からしむるあたはず缺たる者は數をあはするあたはず
That which is crooked can’t be made straight; and that which is lacking can’t be counted.
16 我心の中に語りて言ふ 嗚呼我は大なる者となれり 我より先にヱルサレムにをりしすべての者よりも我は多くの智慧を得たり 我心は智慧と知識を多く得たり
I said to myself, “Behold, I have obtained for myself great wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem. Yes, my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.”
17 我心を盡して智慧を知んとし狂妄と愚癡を知んとしたりしが 是も亦風を捕ふるがごとくなるを暁れり
I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind.
18 夫智慧多ければ憤激多し 知識を増す者は憂患を増す
For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
