伝道者の書 7
1 名は美膏に愈り 死る日は生るる日に愈る
A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
2 哀傷の家に入は宴樂の家に入に愈る 其は一切の人の終かくのごとくなればなり 生る者またこれをその心にとむるあらん
It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
3 悲哀は嬉笑に愈る 其は面に憂色を帯るなれば心も善にむかへばなり
Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
4 賢き者の心は哀傷の家にあり 愚なる者の心は喜樂の家にあり
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5 賢き者の勤責を聴は愚なる者の歌詠を聴に愈るなり
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6 愚なる者の笑は釜の下に焚る荊剌の聲のごとし是また空なり
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
7 賢き人も虐待る事によりて狂するに至るあり賄賂は人の心を壊なふ
Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.
8 事の終はその始よりも善し 容忍心ある者は傲慢心ある者に勝る
Better is the end of a thing than its beginning: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9 汝氣を急くして怒るなかれ 怒は愚なる者の胸にやどるなり
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
10 昔の今にまさるは伺故ぞやと汝言なかれ 汝の斯る問をなすは是智慧よりいづる者にあらざるなり
Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.
11 智慧の上に財産をかぬれば善し 然れば日を見る者等に利益おほかるべし
Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.
12 智慧も身の護庇となり銀子も身の護庇となる 然ど智恵はまたこれを有る者に生命を保しむ 是知識の殊勝たるところなり
For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.
13 汝神の作爲を考ふべし 神の曲たまひし者は誰かこれを直くすることを得ん
Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
14 幸福ある日には樂め 禍患ある日には考へよ 神はこの二者をあひ交錯て降したまふ 是は人をしてその後の事を知ることなからしめんためなり
In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath appointed the one as well as the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.
15 我この空の世にありて各様の事を見たり 義人の義をおこなひて亡ぶるあり 惡人の惡をおこなひて長壽あり
All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.
16 汝義に過るなかれまた賢に過るなかれ 汝なんぞ身を減ずべけんや
Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
17 汝惡に過るなかれまた愚なる勿れ 汝なんぞ時いたらざるに死べけんや
Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
18 汝此を執は善しまた彼にも手を放すなかれ 神を畏む者はこの一切の者の中より逃れ出るなり
It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God shall escape from them all.
19 智恵の智者を幇くることは邑の豪雄者十人にまさるなり
Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men who are in the city.
20 正義して善をおこなひ罪を犯すことなき人は世にあることなし
For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
21 人の言出ず言詞には凡て心をとむる勿れ 恐くは汝の僕の汝を詛ふを聞こともあらん
Also take no heed to all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:
22 汝も屡人を詛ふことあるは汝の心に知ところなり
For often also thy own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
23 我智慧をもてこの一切の事を試み役は智者とならんと謂たりしが遠くおよばざるなり
All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
24 事物の理は遠くして甚だ深し 誰かこれを究むることを得ん
That which is far off, and exceedingly deep, who can find it out?
25 我は身をめぐらし心をもちひて物を知り事を探り 智慧と道理を崇めんとし 又惡の愚たると愚癡の狂妄たるを知んとせり
I applied my heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:
26 我了れり 婦人のその心羅と網のごとくその手縲絏のごとくなる者は是死よりも苦き者なり 神の悦びたまふ者は之を避ることを得ん罪人は之に執らるべし
And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoever pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
27 傅道者言ふ 視よ我その數を知んとして一々に算へてつびに此事を了る
Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:
28 我なほ尋ねて得ざる者は是なり 我千人の中には一箇の男子を得たれども その數の中には一箇の女子をも得ざるなり
Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
29 我了れるところは唯是のみ 即ち神は人を正直者に造りたまひしに人衆多の計略を案出せしなり
Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many devices.
