伝道者の書 8
1 誰か智者に如ん誰か事物の理を解ことを得ん 人の智慧はその人の面に光輝あらしむ 又その粗暴面も變改べし
The wisdom of a man shines in his countenance, and even the expression of a most powerful man will change.
2 我言ふ王の命を守るべし旣に神をさして誓ひしことあれば然るべきなり
I heed the mouth of the king, and the commandment of an oath to God.
3 早まりて王の前を去ることなかれ 惡き事につのること勿れ 其は彼は凡てその好むところを爲ばなり
You should not hastily withdraw from his presence, nor should you remain in an evil work. For all that pleases him, he will do.
4 王の言語には權力あり 然ば誰か之に汝何をなすやといふことを得ん
And his word is filled with authority. Neither is anyone able to say to him: “Why are you acting this way?”
5 命令を守る者は禍患を受るに至らず 智者の心は時期と判斷を知なり
Whoever keeps the commandment will not experience evil. The heart of a wise man understands the time to respond.
6 萬の事務には時あり判斷あり是をもて人大なる禍患をうくるに至るあり
For every matter, there is a time and an opportunity, as well as many difficulties, for man.
7 人は後にあらんところの事を知ず また誰か如何なる事のあらんかを之に告る者あらん
For he is ignorant of the past, and he is able to know nothing of the future by means of a messenger.
8 霊魂を掌管て霊魂を留めうる人あらず 人はその死る日には權力あること旡し 此戰爭には釋放たるる者あらず 又罪惡はこれを行ふ者を救ふことを得せざるなり
It is not in the power of a man to prohibit the spirit, nor does he have authority over the day of death, nor is he permitted to rest when war breaks out, and neither will impiety save the impious.
9 我この一切の事を見また日の下におこなはるる諸の事に心を用ひたり時としては此人彼人を治めてこれに害を蒙らしむることあり
I have considered all these things, and I have applied my heart to all the works which are being done under the sun. Sometimes one man rules over another to his own harm.
10 我見しに惡人の葬られて安息にいるあり また善をおこなふ者の聖所を離れてその邑に忘らるるに至るあり是また空なり
I have seen the impious buried. These same, while they were still living, were in the holy place, and they were praised in the city as workers of justice. But this, too, is emptiness.
11 惡き事の報速にきたらざるが故に世人心を専にして惡をおこなふ
For the sons of men perpetrate evils without any fear, because judgment is not pronounced quickly against the evil.
12 罪を犯す者百次惡をなして猶長命あれども 我知る神を畏みてその前に畏怖をいだく者には幸福あるべし
But although a sinner may do evil of himself one hundred times, and by patience still endure, I realize that it will be well with those who fear God, who revere his face.
13 但し惡人には幸福あらず またその生命も長からずして影のごとし 其は神の前に畏怖をいだくことなければなり
So, may it not go well with the impious, and may his days not be prolonged. And let those who do not fear the face of the Lord pass away like a shadow.
14 我日の下に空なる事のおこなはるるを見たり 即ち義人にして惡人の遭べき所に遭ふ者あり 惡人にして義人の遭べきところに遭ふ者あり 我謂り是もまた空なり
There is also another vanity, which is done upon the earth. There are the just, to whom evils happen, as though they had done the works of the impious. And there are the impious, who are very secure, as though they possess the deeds of the just. But this, too, I judge to be a very great vanity.
15 是に於て我喜樂を讃む 其は食飮して樂むよりも好き事は日の下にあらざればなり 人の勞して得る物の中是こそはその日の下にて神にたまはる生命の日の間その身に離れざる者なれ
And so, I praised rejoicing, because there was no good for a man under the sun, except to eat and drink, and to be cheerful, and because he may take nothing with him from his labor in the days of his life, which God has given to him under the sun.
16 茲に我心をつくして智慧を知らんとし世に爲ところの事を究めんとしたり 人は夜も晝もその目をとぢて眠ることをせざるなり
And I applied my heart, so that I might know wisdom, and so that I might understand a disturbance that turns upon the earth: it is a man, who takes no sleep with his eyes, day and night.
17 我神の諸の作爲を見しが人は日の下におこなはるるところの事を究むるあたはざるなり 人これを究めんと勞するもこれを究むることを得ず 且又智者ありてこれを知ると思ふもこれを究むることあたはざるなり
And I understood that man is able to find no explanation for all those works of God which are done under the sun. And so, the more that he labors to seek, so much the less does he find. Yes, even if a wise man were to claim that he knows, he would not be able to discover it.
