伝道者の書 12
1 汝の少き日に汝の造主を記えよ 即ち惡き日の來り年のよりて我は早何も樂むところ無しと言にいたらざる先
Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the time of affliction arrives and the years draw near, about which you will say, “These do not please me.”
2 また日や光明や月や星の暗くならざる先 雨の後に雲の返らざる中に汝然せよ
Before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain,
3 その日いたる時は家を守る者は慄ひ 力ある人は屈み 磨碎者は寡きによりて息み 窓より窺ふ者は目昏むなり
when the guardians of the house will tremble, and the strongest men will waver, and those who grind grain will be idle, except for a small number, and those who look through the keyholes will be darkened.
4 磨こなす聲低くなれば衢の門は閉づ その人は鳥の聲に起あがり 歌の女子はみな身を卑くす
And they will close the doors to the street, when the voice of he who grinds the grain will be humbled, and they will be disturbed at the sound of a flying thing, and all the daughters of song shall become deaf.
5 かかる人々は高き者を恐る畏しき者多く途にあり 巴旦杏は花咲くまた蝗もその身に重くその嗜欲は廢る 人永遠の家にいたらんとすれば哭婦衢にゆきかふ
Likewise, they will fear the things above them, and they will dread the way. The almond tree will flourish; the locust will be fattened; and the caper plant will be scattered, because man shall go into the house of his eternity, and the mourners shall wander around in the street.
6 然る時には銀の紐は解け金の盞は碎け吊瓶は泉の側に壞れ轆轤は井の傍に破ん
Before the silver cord is broken, and the golden band pulls away, and the pitcher is crushed over the fountain, and the wheel is broken above the cistern,
7 而して塵は本の如くに土に皈り 霊魂はこれを賦けし神にかへるべし
and the dust returns to its earth, from which it was, and the spirit returns to God, who granted it.
8 傳道者云ふ空の空なるかな皆空なり
Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes, and all is vanity!
9 また傳道者は智慧あるが故に恒に知識を民に敎へたり 彼は心をもちひて尋ね究め許多の箴言を作れり
And since Ecclesiastes was very wise, he taught the people, and he described what he had accomplished. And while searching, he composed many parables.
10 傳道者は務めて佳美き言詞を求めたり その書しるしたる者は正直して眞實の言語なり
He sought useful words, and he wrote most righteous words, which were full of truth.
11 智者の言語は刺鞭のごとく 會衆の師の釘たる釘のごとくにして 一人の牧者より出し者なり
The words of the wise are like a goad, and like nails deeply fastened, which, through the counsel of teachers, are set forth by one pastor.
12 わが子よ是等より訓誡をうけよ 多く書をつくれば竟なし 多く學べば體疲る
You should require no more than this, my son. For there is no end to the making of many books. And excessive study is an affliction to the flesh.
13 事の全體の皈する所を聽べし 云く 神を畏れその誡命を守れ 是は諸の人の本分たり
Let us all listen together to the end of the discourse. Fear God, and observe his commandments. This is everything for man.
14 神は一切の行爲ならびに一切の隠れたる事を善惡ともに審判たまふなり
And so, for all that is done and for each error, God will bring judgment: whether it was good or evil.
