اَلْجَامِعَةِ 4

١ 1 ثُمَّ رَجَعْتُ وَرَأَيْتُ كُلَّ ٱلْمَظَالِمِ ٱلَّتِي تُجْرَى تَحْتَ ٱلشَّمْسِ: فَهُوَذَا دُمُوعُ ٱلْمَظْلُومِينَ وَلَا مُعَزٍّ لَهُمْ، وَمِنْ يَدِ ظَالِمِيهِمْ قَهْرٌ، أَمَّا هُمْ فَلَا مُعَزٍّ لَهُمْ.

Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And, behold, the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter. And on the side of their oppressors there was power, but they had no comforter.

٢ 2 فَغَبَطْتُ أَنَا ٱلْأَمْوَاتَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَدْ مَاتُوا مُنْذُ زَمَانٍ أَكْثَرَ مِنَ ٱلْأَحْيَاءِ ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَائِشُونَ بَعْدُ.

Therefore I praised the dead who have long been dead more than the living who are yet alive.

٣ 3 وَخَيْرٌ مِنْ كِلَيْهِمَا ٱلَّذِي لَمْ يُولَدْ بَعْدُ، ٱلَّذِي لَمْ يَرَ ٱلْعَمَلَ ٱلرَّدِيءَ ٱلَّذِي عُمِلَ تَحْتَ ٱلشَّمْسِ.

Yea, better than them both is him who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

٤ 4 وَرَأَيْتُ كُلَّ ٱلتَّعَبِ وَكُلَّ فَلَاحِ عَمَلٍ أَنَّهُ حَسَدُ ٱلْإِنْسَانِ مِنْ قَرِيبِهِ. وَهَذَا أَيْضًا بَاطِلٌ وَقَبْضُ ٱلرِّيحِ.

Then I saw all labor and every skilful work, that for this a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

٥ 5 اَلْكَسْلَانُ يَأْكُلُ لَحْمَهُ وَهُوَ طَاوٍ يَدَيْهِ.

The fool folds his hands together, and eats his own flesh.

٦ 6 حُفْنَةُ رَاحَةٍ خَيْرٌ مِنْ حُفْنَتَيْ تَعَبٍ وَقَبْضِ ٱلرِّيحِ.

Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and striving after wind.

٧ 7 ثُمَّ عُدْتُ وَرَأَيْتُ بَاطِلًا تَحْتَ ٱلشَّمْسِ:

Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

٨ 8 يُوجَدُ وَاحِدٌ وَلَا ثَانِيَ لَهُ، وَلَيْسَ لَهُ ٱبْنٌ وَلَا أَخٌ، وَلَا نِهَايَةَ لِكُلِّ تَعَبِهِ، وَلَا تَشْبَعُ عَيْنُهُ مِنَ ٱلْغِنَى. فَلِمَنْ أَتْعَبُ أَنَا وَأُحَرِّمُ نَفْسِي ٱلْخَيْرَ؟ هَذَا أَيْضًا بَاطِلٌ وَأَمْرٌ رَدِيءٌ هُوَ.

There is one man who is alone, and he has not a second, yea, he has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end of all his labor, nor are his eyes satisfied with riches. For whom then, he says, do I labor, and deprive my soul of good? This also is vanity, yea, it is a great travail.

٩ 9 اِثْنَانِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ وَاحِدٍ، لِأَنَّ لَهُمَا أُجْرَةً لِتَعَبِهِمَا صَالِحَةً.

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.

١٠ 10 لِأَنَّهُ إِنْ وَقَعَ أَحَدُهُمَا يُقِيمُهُ رَفِيقُهُ. وَوَيْلٌ لِمَنْ هُوَ وَحْدَهُ إِنْ وَقَعَ، إِذْ لَيْسَ ثَانٍ لِيُقِيمَهُ.

For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow, but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and has not another to lift him up.

١١ 11 أَيْضًا إِنِ ٱضْطَجَعَ ٱثْنَانِ يَكُونُ لَهُمَا دِفْءٌ، أَمَّا ٱلْوَحْدُ فَكَيْفَ يَدْفَأُ؟

Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth, but how can one be warm alone?

١٢ 12 وَإِنْ غَلَبَ أَحَدٌ عَلَى ٱلْوَاحِدِ يَقِفُ مُقَابَلَهُ ٱلِٱثْنَانِ، وَٱلْخَيْطُ ٱلْمَثْلُوثُ لَا يَنْقَطِعُ سَرِيعًا.

And if a man prevails against him who is alone, two shall withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

١٣ 13 وَلَدٌ فَقِيرٌ وَحَكِيمٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ مَلِكٍ شَيْخٍ جَاهِلٍ، ٱلَّذِي لَا يَعْرِفُ أَنْ يُحَذَّرَ بَعْدُ.

Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who does not know how to receive admonition any more.

١٤ 14 لِأَنَّهُ مِنَ ٱلسِّجْنِ خَرَجَ إِلَى ٱلْمُلْكِ، وَٱلْمَوْلُودُ مَلِكًا قَدْ يَفْتَقِرُ.

For he came forth out of prison to be king, yea, even in his kingdom he was born poor.

١٥ 15 رَأَيْتُ كُلَّ ٱلْأَحْيَاءِ ٱلسَّائِرِينَ تَحْتَ ٱلشَّمْسِ مَعَ ٱلْوَلَدِ ٱلثَّانِي ٱلَّذِي يَقُومُ عِوَضًا عَنْهُ.

I saw all the living who walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the second, who stood up in his stead.

١٦ 16 لَا نِهَايَةَ لِكُلِّ ٱلشَّعْبِ، لِكُلِّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَانَ أَمَامَهُمْ. أَيْضًا ٱلْمُتَأَخِّرُونَ لَا يَفْرَحُونَ بِهِ. فَهَذَا أَيْضًا بَاطِلٌ وَقَبْضُ ٱلرِّيحِ.

There was no end of all the people, even of all those over whom he was. Yet those who come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.