Ecclesiastes 4

1 Then again, I, considered all the oppressive deeds which were done under the sun, —and lo! the tears of the oppressed, and they have no comforter, and, on the side of their oppressing, is power, and they have no comforter.

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。

2 So, I, pronounced happy the dead, who were, already, dead, —more than the living, who were living, still;

因此，我讚歎那早已死的死人，勝過那還活着的活人。

3 and, as better than both, him who had not yet come into being, —who had not seen the vexatious work, which was done under the sun.

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。

4 Then saw, I, all the toil and all the skill of the work, that, for this, a man was envied of his neighbour, —even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.

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。

5 The dullard, claspeth his hands, and consumeth his own flesh.

愚昧人抱着手，吃自己的肉。

6 Better a handful—with quietness, —than both hands, full—with toil, and feeding on wind.

滿了一把，得享安靜，強如滿了兩把，勞碌捕風。

7 Then again, I, looked at a vain thing under the sun: —

我又轉念，見日光之下有一件虛空的事：

8 Here is one, without a second, even son or brother, he hath none, yet is there no end to all his toil, even his eye, is not satisfied with riches, —neither [saith he] For whom, am I toiling, and letting my soul want good? Even this, was vanity, yea a vexatious employment, it was!

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。

9 Better are two, than one, —in that they have a good reward for their toil.

兩個人總比一個人好，因為二人勞碌同得美好的果效。

10 For, if the one should fall, [the other] would raise up his companion, —but alas! for him who is alone when he falleth, with no second to raise him up!

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。

11 Moreover, if two lie together, then have they warmth, —but how can, one, have warmth?

再者，二人同睡就都暖和，一人獨睡怎能暖和呢？

12 And, though an enemy should prevail against one, two, might make a stand before him, —and, a threefold cord, cannot soon be broken.

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。

13 Better a boy poor and wise, —than a king, old and stupid, who knoweth not how to take warning any longer.

貧窮而有智慧的少年人勝過年老不肯納諫的愚昧王。

14 For, out of prison, came he forth to reign, yea, even in his own kingdom, was he born poor.

這人是從監牢中出來作王，在他國中，生來原是貧窮的。

15 I saw all the living, who were going hither and thither under the sun, —[that they were] with the boy who was to be the second, who was to stand in the other’s place: —

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。

16 There was no end to all the people, to all before whom he came, yet, they who should come later, would not rejoice in him, —surely, even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.

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。