傳道書 第 4 章

¹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。So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.

²因此，我讚歎那早已死的死人，勝過那還活著的活人。Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.

³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。Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

⁴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。Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

⁵愚昧人抱著手，吃自己的肉。The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.

⁶滿了一把，得享安靜，強如滿了兩把，勞碌捕風。Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.

⁷我又轉念，見日光之下有一件虛空的事：Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.

⁸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。There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.

⁹兩個人總比一個人好，因為二人勞碌同得美好的果效。Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

¹⁰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。For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

¹¹再者，二人同睡就都暖和，一人獨睡怎能暖和呢？Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?

¹²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。And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

¹³貧窮而有智慧的少年人勝過年老不肯納諫的愚昧王。Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.

¹⁴這人是從監牢中出來作王，在他國中，生來原是貧窮的。For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor.

¹⁵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。I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead.

¹⁶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。There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.