Ecclesiastes 4
1 I thought some more about all the suffering that people are caused to experience on the earth [MTY]. I saw the tears of people who were (oppressed/treated cruelly) and who had no one to comfort/encourage them. Those who oppressed them had power, and there was absolutely no one who was able to comfort those who were being oppressed.
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] I thought that those who are already dead are more fortunate than those who are still alive.
因此，我赞叹那早已死的死人，胜过那还活着的活人。
3 And those who have not been born yet are more fortunate than those who are still alive and those who have died, [because] those who have not been born have not seen all the evil things that are done on the earth.
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 I also thought about all the hard work that people do and the skills that they have. And I thought about how they compete with each other because they are envious of others, [and I concluded that] this also is something that is not accomplishing anything useful, [like] chasing the 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 Foolish people [refuse to work]; they sit idly, with their hands folded, [and do not work]. [So] they ruin themselves.
愚昧人抱着手，吃自己的肉。
6 [So I say], “It is better to be content with not having much money, than to work very hard and try to get a lot of money, which is [as useless as] chasing the wind.”
满了一把，得享安静，强如满了两把，劳碌捕风。
7 I thought about something else that happens on the earth [MTY] that seems senseless.
我又转念，见日光之下有一件虚空的事：
8 There are men who live alone; they do not have a wife or children or any brothers living with them; every day they work [very hard], without stopping, to get a lot of money, but they are never satisfied with the things that they have. They never ask [themselves], “Why am I working very hard to earn more money? Why am I not doing things that would cause me to be happy?” What they do also seems senseless.
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 Having someone [work] with you is better than being by yourself [all the time]. If you have a friend, he can help you to do your work.
两个人总比一个人好，因为二人劳碌同得美好的果效。
10 If you fall down, he can help you get up again. But if you fall down when you are alone, it will be difficult for you, because there will be no one to help you stand up.
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 Similarly, if two people sleep together, they can keep each other warm. But someone who sleeps alone will certainly not [RHQ] be warm.
再者，二人同睡就都暖和，一人独睡怎能暖和呢？
12 Someone who is alone can easily be attacked and defeated by another person, but two people can help each other and (resist/defend themselves against) someone who attacks them. [Three people can defend themselves even more easily], [like] a rope that is made from three cords is harder to break [than a rope made from two cords].
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 but wise is a better person than a foolish old king who refuses to pay attention when people try to give him good advice.
贫穷而有智慧的少年人胜过年老不肯纳谏的愚昧王。
14 It is possible for a young man like that to succeed and some day become king, even if his parents were poor or even if he was in prison some of the time.
这人是从监牢中出来作王，在他国中，生来原是贫穷的。
15 But then some other young man becomes king, and everyone (starts to support/is pleased with) him.
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 Large crowds of people crowd around him. But after a few years, they will reject him, [too]. So it is all senseless, [like] chasing after the 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。
