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
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 et laudavi magis mortuos quam viventes
[So] I thought that those who are already dead are more fortunate than those who are still alive.
3 et feliciorem utroque iudicavi qui necdum natus est nec vidit mala quae sub sole fiunt
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 rursum contemplatus omnes labores hominum et industrias animadverti patere invidiae proximi et in hoc ergo vanitas et cura superflua est
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 stultus conplicat manus suas et comedit carnes suas dicens
Foolish people [refuse to work]; they sit idly, with their hands folded, [and do not work]. [So] they ruin themselves.
6 melior est pugillus cum requie quam plena utraque manus cum labore et adflictione animi
[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 considerans repperi et aliam vanitatem sub sole
I thought about something else that happens on the earth [MTY] that seems senseless.
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
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 melius ergo est duos simul esse quam unum habent enim emolumentum societatis suae
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 si unus ceciderit ab altero fulcietur vae soli quia cum ruerit non habet sublevantem
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 et si dormierint duo fovebuntur mutuo unus quomodo calefiet
Similarly, if two people sleep together, they can keep each other warm. But someone who sleeps alone will certainly not [RHQ] be warm.
12 et si quispiam praevaluerit contra unum duo resistent ei funiculus triplex difficile rumpitur
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 melior est puer pauper et sapiens rege sene et stulto qui nescit providere in posterum
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 quod et de carcere catenisque interdum quis egrediatur ad regnum et alius natus in regno inopia consumatur
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 vidi cunctos viventes qui ambulant sub sole cum adulescente secundo qui consurgit pro eo
But then some other young man becomes king, and everyone (starts to support/is pleased with) him.
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
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.
