| 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。
Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed--and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors--and they have no comforter. | |
| 2 | 因此我讚歎那早已死的死人、勝過那還活著的活人.
And I declared that the dead, who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still 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。
But better than both is he who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil 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。
And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man's envy of his neighbor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. | |
| 5 | 愚昧人抱著手、喫自己的肉。
The fool folds his hands and ruins himself. | |
| 6 | 滿了一把、得享安靜、強如滿了兩把、勞碌捕風。
Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind. | |
| 7 | 我又轉念、見日光之下有一件虛空的事。
Again I saw something meaningless 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 was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. "For whom am I toiling," he asked, "and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?" This too is meaningless--a miserable business! | |
| 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 return for their work: | |
| 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。
If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! | |
| 11 | 再者、二人同睡、就都煖和.一人獨睡、怎能煖和呢。
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep 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。
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands 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 a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take warning. | |
| 14 | 這人是從監牢中出來作王.在他國中、生來原是貧窮的。
The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. | |
| 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 saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king's successor. | |
| 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 was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. | |