Eclesiastés 4
1 Y nuevamente vi todas las cosas crueles que se hacen bajo el sol; estaba el llanto de aquellos que les habían hecho mal, y no tenían consolador; y de las manos de los malvados estaba el poder, pero no tenían consolador.
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 Mi alabanza fue para los muertos que han ido a su muerte, más que para los vivos que aún tienen vida.
[So] I thought that those who are already dead are more fortunate than those who are still alive.
3 Sí, más feliz que los muertos o los vivos parecía el que nunca ha estado, que no ha visto el mal que se hace bajo el sol.
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 Y vi que la causa de todo el trabajo y de todo lo que está bien hecho era la envidia del hombre al prójimo. Esto de nuevo es para ningún propósito y aflicción de espíritu.
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 El hombre necio, doblando sus manos, toma la carne de su propio cuerpo para comer.
Foolish people [refuse to work]; they sit idly, with their hands folded, [and do not work]. [So] they ruin themselves.
6 Una mano llena de descanso es mejor que dos manos llenas de problemas y aflicción de espíritu.
[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 Luego volví y vi un ejemplo de lo que no tiene propósito bajo el sol.
I thought about something else that happens on the earth [MTY] that seems senseless.
8 Es aquel que está solo, sin sucesor, y sin hijo o hermano; pero no hay fin a todo su trabajo, y él nunca tiene suficiente riqueza. ¿Para quién, entonces, estoy trabajando y manteniéndome del placer? Esto de nuevo no tiene ningún propósito, y es un trabajo amargo.
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 Dos son mejores que uno, porque tienen una buena recompensa por su trabajo.
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 Y si uno tiene una caída, el otro le dará una mano; pero infeliz es el hombre que está solo, porque no tiene ayudante.
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 De nuevo, si dos están durmiendo juntos, son cálidos, pero ¿cómo puede uno ser cálido por sí mismo?
Similarly, if two people sleep together, they can keep each other warm. But someone who sleeps alone will certainly not [RHQ] be warm.
12 Y dos atacados por uno estarían a salvo, y tres cuerdas torcidas juntas no se rompen rápidamente.
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 Un joven que es pobre y sabio es mejor que un rey que es viejo e insensato y no será guiado por la sabiduría de los demás.
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 Porque de la prisión el joven viene a ser rey, aunque al nacer solo era un hombre pobre en el reino.
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 Vi a todos los que vivían bajo el sol alrededor del joven que iba a ser gobernante en lugar del rey.
But then some other young man becomes king, and everyone (starts to support/is pleased with) him.
16 No hubo fin de todas las personas, de todos aquellos cuya cabeza era, pero los que vengan después no se deleitarán en él. Esto de nuevo no tiene ningún propósito y es aflicción de espíritu.
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.
