Ecclesiastes 4
1 verti me ad alia et vidi calumnias quae sub sole geruntur et lacrimas innocentum et consolatorem neminem nec posse resistere eorum violentiae cunctorum auxilio destitutos
Then I turned to consider all the ways people oppress others here on earth. Look at the tears of the oppressed—there's no one to comfort them! Powerful people oppress them, and there's no one to comfort them!
2 et laudavi magis mortuos quam viventes
I congratulated those who were already dead, for the dead are better off than those who are still alive and being oppressed.
3 et feliciorem utroque iudicavi qui necdum natus est nec vidit mala quae sub sole fiunt
But best of all are those who have never existed—they haven't seen the evil things people do to each other here on earth.
4 rursum contemplatus omnes labores hominum et industrias animadverti patere invidiae proximi et in hoc ergo vanitas et cura superflua est
I observed that every skill in work comes from competition with others. Once again this is hard to understand, like trying to hold on to the elusive wind.
5 stultus conplicat manus suas et comedit carnes suas dicens
Fools fold their arms and do nothing—so in the end they're all used up.
6 melior est pugillus cum requie quam plena utraque manus cum labore et adflictione animi
It's better to earn a little without stress than a lot with too much stress and chasing after the wind.
7 considerans repperi et aliam vanitatem sub sole
Then I turned to consider something else here on earth that is also frustratingly hard to understand.
8 unus est et secundum non habet non filium non fratrem et tamen laborare non cessat nec satiantur oculi eius divitiis nec recogitat dicens cui laboro et fraudo animam meam bonis in hoc quoque vanitas est et adflictio pessima
What about someone who has no family to help him, no brother or son, who works all the time, but isn't satisfied with the money he makes. “Who am I working for?” he asks himself. “Why am I preventing myself from enjoying life?” Such a situation is hard to explain—it's an evil business!
9 melius ergo est duos simul esse quam unum habent enim emolumentum societatis suae
Two are better than one, for they can help each other in their work.
10 si unus ceciderit ab altero fulcietur vae soli quia cum ruerit non habet sublevantem
If one of them falls down, the other can help them up, but how sad it is for someone who falls down and doesn't have anyone to help them up.
11 et si dormierint duo fovebuntur mutuo unus quomodo calefiet
In the same way, if two people lie down together, they keep each other warm, but you can't keep yourself warm if you're alone.
12 et si quispiam praevaluerit contra unum duo resistent ei funiculus triplex difficile rumpitur
Someone fighting against one other person may win, but not if they are fighting against two. A cord made of three strands can't be torn apart quickly.
13 melior est puer pauper et sapiens rege sene et stulto qui nescit providere in posterum
A poor young person who's wise is better than an old and foolish king who no longer accepts advice.
14 quod et de carcere catenisque interdum quis egrediatur ad regnum et alius natus in regno inopia consumatur
He may even come out of prison to reign over his kingdom, even though he was born poor.
15 vidi cunctos viventes qui ambulant sub sole cum adulescente secundo qui consurgit pro eo
I observed everyone here on earth following the youth who takes his place.
16 infinitus numerus est populi omnium qui fuerunt ante eum et qui postea futuri sunt non laetabuntur in eo sed et hoc vanitas et adflictio spiritus
He is surrounded by crowds of supporters, but the next generation isn't happy with him. This also illustrates the passing nature of life whose meaning is elusive, like pursuing the wind for understanding.
