전도서 4
1 내가 돌이켜 해 아래서 행하는 모든 학대를 보았도다 오호라 학대받는 자가 눈물을 흘리되 저희에게 위로자가 없도다 저희를 학대하는 자의 손에는 권세가 있으나 저희에게는 위로자가 없도다
I thought some more about all the suffering that people are caused to experience on the earth [MTY]. I saw the tears of people who were (oppressed/treated cruelly) and who had no one to comfort/encourage them. Those who oppressed them had power, and there was absolutely no one who was able to comfort those who were being oppressed.
2 그러므로 나는 살아 있는 산 자보다 죽은 지 오랜 죽은 자를 복되다 하였으며
[So] I thought that those who are already dead are more fortunate than those who are still alive.
3 이 둘보다도 출생하지 아니하여 해 아래서 행하는 악을 보지 못한 자가 더욱 낫다 하였노라
And those who have not been born yet are more fortunate than those who are still alive and those who have died, [because] those who have not been born have not seen all the evil things that are done on the earth.
4 내가 또 본즉 사람이 모든 수고와 여러 가지 교묘한 일로 인하여 이웃에게 시기를 받으니 이것도 헛되어 바람을 잡으려는 것이로다
I also thought about all the hard work that people do and the skills that they have. And I thought about how they compete with each other because they are envious of others, [and I concluded that] this also is something that is not accomplishing anything useful, [like] chasing the wind.
5 우매자는 손을 거두고 자기 살을 먹느니라
Foolish people [refuse to work]; they sit idly, with their hands folded, [and do not work]. [So] they ruin themselves.
6 한 손에만 가득하고 평온함이 두 손에 가득하고 수고하며 바람을 잡으려는 것보다 나으니라
[So I say], “It is better to be content with not having much money, than to work very hard and try to get a lot of money, which is [as useless as] chasing the wind.”
7 내가 또 돌이켜 해 아래서 헛된 것을 보았도다
I thought about something else that happens on the earth [MTY] that seems senseless.
8 어떤 사람은 아들도 없고 형제도 없으니 아무도 없이 홀로 있으나 수고하기를 마지 아니하며 부를 눈에 족하게 여기지 아니하면서도 이르기를 내가 누구를 위하여 수고하고 내 심령으로 낙을 누리지 못하게 하는고 하나니 이것도 헛되어 무익한 노고로다
There are men who live alone; they do not have a wife or children or any brothers living with them; every day they work [very hard], without stopping, to get a lot of money, but they are never satisfied with the things that they have. They never ask [themselves], “Why am I working very hard to earn more money? Why am I not doing things that would cause me to be happy?” What they do also seems senseless.
9 두 사람이 한 사람보다 나음은 저희가 수고함으로 좋은 상을 얻을 것임이라
Having someone [work] with you is better than being by yourself [all the time]. If you have a friend, he can help you to do your work.
10 혹시 저희가 넘어지면 하나가 그 동무를 붙들어 일으키려니와 홀로 있어 넘어지고 붙들어 일으킬 자가 없는 자에게는 화가 있으리라
If you fall down, he can help you get up again. But if you fall down when you are alone, it will be difficult for you, because there will be no one to help you stand up.
11 두 사람이 함께 누우면 따뜻하거니와 한 사람이면 어찌 따뜻하랴
Similarly, if two people sleep together, they can keep each other warm. But someone who sleeps alone will certainly not [RHQ] be warm.
12 한 사람이면 패하겠거니와 두 사람이면 능히 당하나니 삼겹 줄은 쉽게 끊어지지 아니하느니라
Someone who is alone can easily be attacked and defeated by another person, but two people can help each other and (resist/defend themselves against) someone who attacks them. [Three people can defend themselves even more easily], [like] a rope that is made from three cords is harder to break [than a rope made from two cords].
13 가난하여도 지혜로운 소년은 늙고 둔하여 간함을 받을줄 모르는 왕보다 나으니
A young man who is poor but wise is a better person than a foolish old king who refuses to pay attention when people try to give him good advice.
14 저는 그 나라에서 나면서 가난한 자로서 옥에서 나와서 왕이 되었음이니라
It is possible for a young man like that to succeed and some day become king, even if his parents were poor or even if he was in prison some of the time.
15 내가 본즉 해 아래서 다니는 인생들이 왕의 버금으로 대신하여 일어난 소년과 함께 있으매
But then some other young man becomes king, and everyone (starts to support/is pleased with) him.
16 저희 치리를 받는 백성들이 무수하였을지라도 후에 오는 자들은 저를 기뻐하지 아니하리니 이것도 헛되어 바람을 잡으려는 것이로다
Large crowds of people crowd around him. But after a few years, they will reject him, [too]. So it is all senseless, [like] chasing after the wind.
