伝道者の書 4

1 茲に我身を轉して日の下に行はるる諸の虐遇を視たり 嗚呼虐げらる者の涙ながる 之を慰むる者あらざるなり また虐ぐる者の手には權力あり 彼等はこれを慰むる者あらざるなり

Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and look, the tears of those who were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.

2 我は猶生る生者よりも既に死たる死者をもて幸なりとす

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

3 またこの二者よりも幸なるは未だ世にあらずして日の下におこなはるる惡事を見ざる者なり

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

4 我また諸の労苦と諸の工事の精巧とを観るに 是は人のたがひに嫉みあひて成せる者たるなり 是も空にして風を捕ふるが如し

Then I saw all the labor and achievement that is the envy of a man's neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

5 愚なる者は手を束ねてその身の肉を食ふ

The fool folds his hands together and ruins himself.

6 片手に物を盈て平穏にあるは 兩手に物を盈て労苦て風を捕ふるに愈れり

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

7 我また身をめぐらし日の下に空なる事のあるを見たり

Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

8 茲に人あり只獨にして伴侶もなく子もなく兄弟もなし 然るにその労苦は都て窮なくの目は富に飽ことなし 彼また言ず嗚呼我は誰がために労するや何とて我は心を樂ませざるやと 是もまた空にして労力の苦き者なり

There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. For whom then, do I labor, and deprive my soul of enjoyment? This also is vanity, yes, it is a miserable business.

9 二人は一人に愈る其はその労苦のために善報を得ればなり

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

10 即ちその跌倒る時には一箇の人その伴侶を扶けおこすべし 然ど孤身にして跌倒る者は憐なるかな之を扶けおこす者なきなり

For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and doesn't have another to lift him up.

11 又二人ともに寝れば温暖なり一人ならぼ爭で混暖ならんや

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

12 人もしその一人を攻撃ば二人してこれに當るべし 三根の繩は容易く断ざるなり

If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

13 貧くして賢き童子は 老て愚にして諌を納れざる王に愈る

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

14 彼は牢獄より出て王となれり 然どその國に生れし時は貧かりき

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

15 我日の下にあゆむところの群生が彼王に続てこれに代りて立ところの童子とともにあるを観たり

I saw all the living who walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the other, who succeeded him.

16 民はすべて際限なし その前にありし者みな然り 後にきたる者また彼を悦ばず 是も空にして風を捕ふるがごとし

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