< Vaiz 4 >

1 Güneşin altında yapılan baskılara bir daha baktım, Ezilenlerin gözyaşlarını gördüm; Avutanları yok, Güç ezenlerden yana, Avutanları yok.
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 Çoktan ölmüş ölüleri, Hâlâ sağ olan yaşayanlardan daha mutlu gördüm.
[So] I thought that those who are already dead are more fortunate than those who are still alive.
3 Ama henüz doğmamış, Güneşin altında yapılan kötülükleri görmemiş olan İkisinden de mutludur.
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 Harcanan her emeğin, yapılan her ustaca işin ardında kıskançlık olduğunu gördüm. Bu da boş ve rüzgarı kovalamaya kalkışmakmış.
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 Akılsız ellerini kavuşturup kendi kendini yer.
Foolish people [refuse to work]; they sit idly, with their hands folded, [and do not work]. [So] they ruin themselves.
6 Rahat kazanılan bir avuç dolusu Zahmetle, rüzgarı kovalamaya kalkışarak kazanılan İki avuç dolusundan daha iyidir.
[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 Güneşin altında bir boş şey daha gördüm:
I thought about something else that happens on the earth [MTY] that seems senseless.
8 Yalnız bir adam vardı, Oğlu da kardeşi de yoktu. Çabaları dinmek nedir bilmezdi, Gözü zenginliğe doymazdı. “Kimin için çalışıyorum, Neden kendimi zevkten yoksun bırakıyorum?” diye sormazdı. Bu da boş ve çetin bir zahmettir.
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 İki kişi bir kişiden iyidir, Çünkü emeklerine iyi karşılık alırlar.
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 Biri düşerse, öteki kaldırır. Ama yalnız olup da düşenin vay haline! Onu kaldıran olmaz.
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 Ayrıca iki kişi birlikte yatarsa, birbirini ısıtır. Ama tek başına yatan nasıl ısınabilir?
Similarly, if two people sleep together, they can keep each other warm. But someone who sleeps alone will certainly not [RHQ] be warm.
12 Yalnız biri yenik düşer, Ama iki kişi direnebilir. Üç kat iplik kolay kolay kopmaz.
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 Yoksul ama bilge bir genç artık öğüt almayı bilmeyen kocamış akılsız kraldan iyidir.
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 Çünkü genç, ülkesinde yoksulluk içinde doğsa bile cezaevinden krallığa yükselebilir.
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 Güneşin altında yaşayan herkesin kralın yerine geçen genci izlediğini gördüm.
But then some other young man becomes king, and everyone (starts to support/is pleased with) him.
16 Yeni kralın yönettiği halk sayısız olabilir. Yine de sonrakiler ondan hoşnut olmayabilir. Gerçekten bu da boş ve rüzgarı kovalamaya kalkışmaktır.
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.

< Vaiz 4 >