1 Τοτε εγω εστραφην και ειδον πασας τας αδικιας τας γινομενας υπο τον ηλιον? και ιδου, δακρυα των αδικουμενων, και δεν υπηρχεν εις αυτους ο παρηγορων? η δε δυναμις ητο εν τη χειρι των αδικουντων αυτους? και δεν υπηρχεν εις αυτους ο παρηγορων. | 1 Again I considered all the oppressions that take place under the sun: the tears of the victims with none to comfort them! From the hand of their oppressors comes violence, and there is none to comfort them! |
2 Οθεν εγω εμακαρισα τους τελευτησαντας, τους ηδη αποθανοντας, μαλλον παρα τους ζωντας, οσοι ζωσιν ετι. | 2 And those now dead, I declared more fortunate in death than are the living to be still alive. |
3 Καλητερος δε αμφοτερων ειναι, οστις δεν υπηρξεν ετι, οστις δεν ειδε τα πονηρα εργα τα γινομενα υπο τον ηλιον. | 3 And better off than both is the yet unborn, who has not seen the wicked work that is done under the sun. |
4 Προσετι εγω εθεωρησα παντα μοχθον και πασαν επιτευξιν εργου, οτι δια τουτο ο ανθρωπος φθονειται υπο του πλησιον αυτου? και τουτο ματαιοτης και θλιψις πνευματος. | 4 Then I saw that all toil and skillful work is the rivalry of one man for another. This also is vanity and a chase after wind. |
5 Ο αφρων περιπλεκει τας χειρας αυτου και τρωγει την εαυτου σαρκα. | 5 "The fool folds his arms and consumes his own flesh"-- |
6 Καλητερον μια δραξ πληρης αναπαυσεως παρα δυο πληρεις μοχθου και θλιψεως πνευματος. | 6 Better is one handful with tranquility than two with toil and a chase after wind! |
7 Παλιν εστραφην εγω και ειδον ματαιοτητα υπο τον ηλιον? | 7 Again I found this vanity under the sun: |
8 υπαρχει τις και δεν εχει δευτερον? ναι, δεν εχει ουτε υιον ουτε αδελφον? και ομως δεν παυει απο παντος του μοχθου αυτου? μαλιστα ο οφθαλμος αυτου δεν χορταινει πλουτου? και δεν λεγει, δια τινα εγω κοπιαζω και στερω την ψυχην μου απο αγαθων; και τουτο ειναι ματαιοτης και περισπασμος λυπηρος. | 8 a solitary man with no companion; with neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end to all his toil, and riches do not satisfy his greed. "For whom do I toil and deprive myself of good things?" This also is vanity and a worthless task. |
9 Καλητεροι οι δυο υπερ τον ενα? επειδη αυτοι εχουσι καλην αντιμισθιαν εν τω κοπω αυτων. | 9 Two are better than one: they get a good wage for their labor. |
10 Διοτι, εαν πεσωσιν, ο εις θελει σηκωσει τον συντροφον αυτου? αλλ' ουαι εις τον ενα, οστις πεση και δεν εχη δευτερον να σηκωση αυτον. | 10 If the one falls, the other will lift up his companion. Woe to the solitary man! For if he should fall, he has no one to lift him up. |
11 Παλιν, εαν δυο πλαγιασωσιν ομου, τοτε θερμαινονται? ο εις ομως πως θελει θερμανθη; | 11 So also, if two sleep together, they keep each other warm. How can one alone keep warm? |
12 Και εαν τις υπερισχυση κατα του ενος, οι δυο θελουσιν αντισταθη εις αυτον? και το τριπλουν σχοινιον δεν κοπτεται ταχεως. | 12 Where a lone man may be overcome, two together can resist. A three-ply cord is not easily broken. |
13 Καλητερον πτωχον και σοφον παιδιον παρα βασιλευς γερων και αφρων, οστις δεν ειναι πλεον επιδεκτικος νουθεσιας? | 13 Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows caution; |
14 διοτι το μεν εξερχεται εκ του οικου των δεσμιων δια να βασιλευση? ο δε και βασιλευς γεννηθεις καθισταται πενης. | 14 for from a prison house one comes forth to rule, since even in his royalty he was poor at birth. |
15 Ειδον παντας τους ζωντας τους περιπατουντας υπο τον ηλιον, μετα του υιου, του δευτερου, οστις θελει σταθη αντ' αυτου. | 15 Then I saw all those who are to live and move about under the sun with the heir apparent who will succeed to his place. |
16 Δεν υπαρχει τελος εις παντα τον λαον, εις παντας τους προυπαρξαντας αυτων? αλλ' ουδε οι μετα ταυτα θελουσιν ευφρανθη εις αυτον? λοιπον και τουτο ματαιοτης και θλιψις πνευματος. | 16 There is no end to all these people, to all over whom he takes precedence; yet the later generations will not applaud him. This also is vanity and a chase after wind. |
| 17 Guard your step when you go to the house of God. Let your approach be obedience, rather than the fools' offering of sacrifice; for they know not how to keep from doing evil. |