Ecclesiastes 4

1 And again I saw all the cruel things which are done under the sun; there was the weeping of those who have evil done to them, and they had no comforter: and from the hands of the evil-doers there went out power, but they had no comforter.

我又转念，见日光之下所行的一切欺压。看哪，受欺压的流泪，且无人安慰；欺压他们的有势力，也无人安慰他们。

2 So my praise was for the dead who have gone to their death, more than for the living who still have life.

因此，我赞叹那早已死的死人，胜过那还活着的活人。

3 Yes, happier than the dead or the living seemed he who has not ever been, who has not seen the evil which is done under the sun.

并且我以为那未曾生的，就是未见过日光之下恶事的，比这两等人更强。

4 And I saw that the cause of all the work and of everything which is done well was man's envy of his neighbour. This again is to no purpose and a desire for wind.

我又见人为一切的劳碌和各样灵巧的工作就被邻舍嫉妒。这也是虚空，也是捕风。

5 The foolish man, folding his hands, takes the flesh of his body for food.

愚昧人抱着手，吃自己的肉。

6 One hand full of rest is better than two hands full of trouble and desire for wind.

满了一把，得享安静，强如满了两把，劳碌捕风。

7 Then I came back, and I saw an example of what is to no purpose under the sun.

我又转念，见日光之下有一件虚空的事：

8 It is one who is by himself, without a second, and without son or brother; but there is no end to all his work, and he has never enough of wealth. For whom, then, am I working and keeping myself from pleasure? This again is to no purpose, and a bitter work.

有人孤单无二，无子无兄，竟劳碌不息，眼目也不以钱财为足。他说：“我劳劳碌碌，刻苦自己，不享福乐，到底是为谁呢？”这也是虚空，是极重的劳苦。

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

两个人总比一个人好，因为二人劳碌同得美好的果效。

10 And if one has a fall, the other will give him a hand; but unhappy is the man who is by himself, because he has no helper.

若是跌倒，这人可以扶起他的同伴；若是孤身跌倒，没有别人扶起他来，这人就有祸了。

11 So again, if two are sleeping together they are warm, but how may one be warm by himself?

再者，二人同睡就都暖和，一人独睡怎能暖和呢？

12 And two attacked by one would be safe, and three cords twisted together are not quickly broken.

有人攻胜孤身一人，若有二人便能敌挡他；三股合成的绳子不容易折断。

13 A young man who is poor and wise is better than a king who is old and foolish and will not be guided by the wisdom of others.

贫穷而有智慧的少年人胜过年老不肯纳谏的愚昧王。

14 Because out of a prison the young man comes to be king, though by birth he was only a poor man in the kingdom.

这人是从监牢中出来作王，在他国中，生来原是贫穷的。

15 I saw all the living under the sun round the young man who was to be ruler in place of the king.

我见日光之下一切行动的活人都随从那第二位，就是起来代替老王的少年人。

16 There was no end of all the people, of all those whose head he was, but they who come later will have no delight in him. This again is to no purpose and desire for wind.

他所治理的众人就是他的百姓，多得无数；在他后来的人尚且不喜悦他。这真是虚空，也是捕风。