伝道者の書 4
1 茲に我身を轉して日の下に行はるる諸の虐遇を視たり 嗚呼虐げらる者の涙ながる 之を慰むる者あらざるなり また虐ぐる者の手には權力あり 彼等はこれを慰むる者あらざるなり
I turned myself to other things, and I saw the false accusations which are carried out under the sun, and the tears of the innocent, and that there was no one to console them; and that they were not able to withstand their violence, being destitute of all help.
2 我は猶生る生者よりも旣に死たる死者をもて幸なりとす
And so, I praised the dead more than the living.
3 またこの二者よりも幸なるは未だ世にあらずして日の下におこなはるる惡事を見ざる者なり
And happier than both of these, I judged him to be, who has not yet been born, and who has not yet seen the evils which are done under the sun.
4 我また諸の勞苦と諸の工事の精巧とを觀るに 是は人のたがひに嫉みあひて成せる者たるなり 是も空にして風を捕ふるが如し
Again, I was contemplating all the labors of men. And I took notice that their endeavors are open to the envy of their neighbor. And so, in this, too, there is emptiness and superfluous anxiety.
5 愚なる者は手を束ねてその身の肉を食ふ
The foolish man folds his hands together, and he consumes his own flesh, saying:
6 片手に物を盈て平穩にあるは 兩手に物を盈て勞苦て風を捕ふるに愈れり
“A handful with rest is better than both hands filled with labors and with affliction of the soul.”
7 我また身をめぐらし日の下に空なる事のあるを見たり
While considering this, I also discovered another vanity under the sun.
8 茲に人あり只獨にして伴侶もなく子もなく兄弟もなし 然るにその勞苦は都て窮なくの目は富に飽ことなし 彼また言ず嗚呼我は誰がために勞するや何とて我は心を樂ませざるやと 是もまた空にして勞力の苦き者なり
He is one, and he does not have a second: no son, no brother. And yet he does not cease to labor, nor are his eyes satisfied with wealth, nor does he reflect, saying: “For whom do I labor and cheat my soul of good things?” In this, too, is emptiness and a most burdensome affliction.
9 二人は一人に愈る其はその勞苦のために善報を得ればなり
Therefore, it is better for two to be together, than for one to be alone. For they have the advantage of their companionship.
10 即ちその跌倒る時には一箇の人その伴侶を扶けおこすべし 然ど孤身にして跌倒る者は憐なるかな之を扶けおこす者なきなり
If one falls, he shall be supported by the other. Woe to one who is alone. For when he falls, he has no one to lift him up.
11 又二人ともに寝れば温暖なり一人ならば爭で温暖ならんや
And if two are sleeping, they warm one another. How can one person alone be warmed?
12 人もしその一人を攻撃ば二人してこれに當るべし 三根の繩は容易く斷ざるなり
And if a man can prevail against one, two may withstand him, and a threefold cord is broken with difficulty.
13 貧くして賢き童子は 老て愚にして諌を納れざる王に愈る
Better is a boy, poor and wise, than a king, old and foolish, who does not know to look ahead for the sake of posterity.
14 彼は牢獄より出て王となれり 然どその國に生れし時は貧かりき
For sometimes, one goes forth from prison and chains, to a kingdom, while another, born to kingly power, is consumed by need.
15 我日の下にあゆむところの群生が彼王に続てこれに代りて立ところの童子とともにあるを觀たり
I saw all the living who are walking under the sun, and I saw the next generation, who shall rise up in their places.
16 民はすべて際限なし その前にありし者みな然り 後にきたる者また彼を悦ばず 是も空にして風を捕ふるがごとし
The number of people, out of all who existed before these, is boundless. And those who will exist afterwards shall not rejoice in them. But this, too, is emptiness and an affliction of the spirit.
