Ecclesiastes

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. {side: Heb. hand}

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.

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.

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. {every...: Heb. all the rightness of work} {for this...: Heb. this is the envy of a man from his neighbour}

愚昧人抱著手，吃自己的肉。

The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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}?

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.

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. {who...: Heb. who knoweth not to be admonished}

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.

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.

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.