傳道書

第 4 章

1. 我又轉念、見日光之下所行的一切欺壓.看哪、受欺壓的流淚、且無人安慰.欺壓他們的有勢力、也無人安慰他們。
Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed--and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors--and they have no comforter.
2. 因此我讚歎那早已死的死人、勝過那還活著的活人.
And I declared that the dead, who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive.
3. 並且我以為那未曾生的、就是未見過日光之下惡事的、比這兩等人更強。
But better than both is he who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.
4. 我又見人為一切的勞碌、和各樣靈巧的工作、就被鄰舍嫉妒.這也是虛空、也是捕風。
And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man's envy of his neighbor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
5. 愚昧人抱著手、喫自己的肉。
The fool folds his hands and ruins himself.
6. 滿了一把、得享安靜、強如滿了兩把、勞碌捕風。
Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.
7. 我又轉念、見日光之下有一件虛空的事。
Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:
8. 有人孤單無二、無子無兄、竟勞碌不息、眼目也不以錢財為足.他說我勞勞碌碌、刻苦自己、不享福樂、到底是為誰呢.這也是虛空、是極重的勞苦。
There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. "For whom am I toiling," he asked, "and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?" This too is meaningless--a miserable business!
9. 兩個人總比一個人好、因為二人勞碌同得美好的果效。
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:
10. 若是跌倒、這人可以扶起他的同伴.若是孤身跌倒、沒有別人扶起他來、這人就有禍了。
If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!
11. 再者、二人同睡、就都煖和.一人獨睡、怎能煖和呢。
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?
12. 有人攻勝孤身一人、若有二人便能敵擋他.三股合成的繩子、不容易折斷。
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
13. 貧窮而有智慧的少年人、勝過年老不肯納諫的愚昧王。
Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take warning.
14. 這人是從監牢中出來作王.在他國中、生來原是貧窮的。
The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom.
15. 我見日光之下一切行動的活人、都隨從那第二位、就是起來代替老王的少年人。
I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king's successor.
16. 他所治理的眾人、就是他的百姓、多得無數.在他後來的人、尚且不喜悅他.這真是虛空、也是捕風。
There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.