伝道者の書 6
1 我観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 an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy upon men:
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欠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 他人のこれを食ことあり 是空なり惡き疾なり
a man to whom God giveth riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it; this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
3 仮令人百人の子を挙けまた長壽してその年齢の日多からんも 若その心景福に満足せざるか又は葬らるることを得ざるあれば 我言ふ流産の子はその人にまさるたり
If a man beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul have not enough of good, and moreover he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he;
4 夫流産の子はその來ること空しくして黒暗の中に去ゆきその名は黒暗の中にかくるるなり
for it cometh in vanity, and departeth in darkness, and the name thereof is covered with darkness;
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
moreover it hath not seen the sun nor known it; this hath gratification rather than the other;
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
yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, and enjoy no good; do not all go to one place?
7 人の労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 the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
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
For what advantage hath the wise more than the fool? or the poor man that hath understanding, in walking before the living?
9 目に観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 is the seeing of the eyes than the wandering of the desire; this also is vanity and a striving after 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争ふことを得ざるなり
Whatsoever cometh into being, the name thereof was given long ago, and it is foreknown what man is; neither can he contend with Him that is mightier 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
Seeing there are many words that increase vanity, what is man the better?
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 knoweth what is good for man in his life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?
