伝道者の書 1
1 ダビデの子 ヱルサレムの王 傳道者の言
The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, the king of Jerusalem.
2 傳道者言く 空の空 空の空なる哉 都て空なり
Ecclesiastes said: Vanity of vanities! Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity!
3 日の下に人の勞して爲ところの諸の動作はその身に何の益かあらん
What more does a man have from all his labor, as he labors under the sun?
4 世は去り世は來る 地は永久に長存なり
A generation passes away, and a generation arrives. But the earth stands forever.
5 日は出で日は入り またその出し處に喘ぎゆくなり
The sun rises and sets; it returns to its place, and from there, being born again,
6 風は南に行き又轉りて北にむかひ 旋轉に旋りて行き 風復その旋轉る處にかへる。
it circles through the south, and arcs toward the north. The spirit continues on, illuminating everything in its circuit, and turning again in its cycle.
7 河はみな海に流れ入る 海は盈ること無し 河はその出きたれる處に復還りゆくなり
All rivers enter into the sea, and the sea does not overflow. To the place from which the rivers go out, they return, so that they may flow again.
8 萬の物は勞苦す 人これを言つくすことあたはず 目は見に飽ことなく耳は聞に充ること無し
Such things are difficult; man is not able to explain them with words. The eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor is the ear fulfilled by hearing.
9 曩に有し者はまた後にあるべし 曩に成し事はまた後に成べし 日の下には新しき者あらざるなり
What is it that has existed? The same shall exist in the future. What is it that has been done? The same shall continue to be done.
10 見よ是は新しき者なりと指て言べき物あるや 其は我等の前にありし世々に旣に久しくありたる者なり
There is nothing new under the sun. Neither is anyone able to say: “Behold, this is new!” For it has already been brought forth in the ages that were before us.
11 己前のものの事はこれを記憶ることなし 以後のものの事もまた後に出る者これをおぼゆることあらじ
There is no remembrance of the former things. Indeed, neither shall there be any record of past things in the future, for those who will exist at the very end.
12 われ傳道者はヱルサレムにありてイスラエルの王たりき
I, Ecclesiastes, was king of Israel at Jerusalem.
13 我心を盡し智慧をもちひて天が下に行はるる諸の事を尋ねかつ考覈たり此苦しき事件は神が世の人にさづけて之に身を勞せしめたまふ者なり
And I was determined in my mind to seek and to investigate wisely, concerning all that is done under the sun. God has given this very difficult task to the sons of men, so that they may be occupied by it.
14 我日の下に作ところの諸の行爲を見たり 嗚呼皆空にして風を捕ふるがごとし
I have seen all that is done under the sun, and behold: all is emptiness and an affliction of the spirit.
15 曲れる者は直からしむるあたはず缺たる者は數をあはするあたはず
The perverse are unwilling to be corrected, and the number of the foolish is boundless.
16 我心の中に語りて言ふ 嗚呼我は大なる者となれり 我より先にヱルサレムにをりしすべての者よりも我は多くの智慧を得たり 我心は智慧と知識を多く得たり
I have spoken in my heart, saying: “Behold, I have achieved greatness, and I have surpassed all the wise who were before me in Jerusalem.” And my mind has contemplated many things wisely, and I have learned.
17 我心を盡して智慧を知んとし狂妄と愚癡を知んとしたりしが 是も亦風を捕ふるがごとくなるを暁れり
And I have dedicated my heart, so that I may know prudence and doctrine, and also error and foolishness. Yet I recognize that, in these things also, there is hardship, and affliction of the spirit.
18 夫智慧多ければ憤激多し 知識を増す者は憂患を増す
Because of this, with much wisdom there is also much anger. And whoever adds knowledge, also adds hardship.
