Ecclesiastes 4

1 Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold, 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.

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

因此，我讚歎那早已死的死人，勝過那還活着的活人。

3 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.

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 I saw all the labour and achievement that is the envy of a man’s neighbour. This also is vanity and a striving after 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 fool folds his hands together and ruins himself.

愚昧人抱着手，吃自己的肉。

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

滿了一把，得享安靜，強如滿了兩把，勞碌捕風。

7 Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

我又轉念，見日光之下有一件虛空的事：

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

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

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 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.

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

再者，二人同睡就都暖和，一人獨睡怎能暖和呢？

12 If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly 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 is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who doesn’t know how to receive admonition any more.

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 he came out to be king; yes, even in his kingdom he was 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 walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the other, who succeeded him.

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 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.

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。