| 1 και επεστρεψα εγω και ειδον συν πασας τας συκοφαντιας τας γινομενας υπο τον ηλιον και ιδου δακρυον των συκοφαντουμενων και ουκ εστιν αυτοις παρακαλων και απο χειρος συκοφαντουντων αυτους ισχυς και ουκ εστιν αυτοις παρακαλων | 1 Again I saw all the oppressions that are practiced under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them. |
| 2 και επηνεσα εγω συν τους τεθνηκοτας τους ηδη αποθανοντας υπερ τους ζωντας οσοι αυτοι ζωσιν εως του νυν | 2 And I thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive; |
| 3 και αγαθος υπερ τους δυο τουτους οστις ουπω εγενετο ος ουκ ειδεν συν το ποιημα το πονηρον το πεποιημενον υπο τον ηλιον | 3 but better than both is he who has not yet been, and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun. |
| 4 και ειδον εγω συν παντα τον μοχθον και συν πασαν ανδρειαν του ποιηματος οτι αυτο ζηλος ανδρος απο του εταιρου αυτου και γε τουτο ματαιοτης και προαιρεσις πνευματος | 4 Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man's envy of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind. |
| 5 ο αφρων περιελαβεν τας χειρας αυτου και εφαγεν τας σαρκας αυτου | 5 The fool folds his hands, and eats his own flesh. |
| 6 αγαθον πληρωμα δρακος αναπαυσεως υπερ πληρωμα δυο δρακων μοχθου και προαιρεσεως πνευματος | 6 Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind. |
| 7 και επεστρεψα εγω και ειδον ματαιοτητα υπο τον ηλιον | 7 Again, I saw vanity under the sun: |
| 8 εστιν εις και ουκ εστιν δευτερος και γε υιος και αδελφος ουκ εστιν αυτω και ουκ εστιν περασμος τω παντι μοχθω αυτου και γε οφθαλμος αυτου ουκ εμπιπλαται πλουτου και τινι εγω μοχθω και στερισκω την ψυχην μου απο αγαθωσυνης και γε τουτο ματαιοτης και περισπασμος πονηρος εστιν | 8 a person who has no one, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, "For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?" This also is vanity and an unhappy business. |
| 9 αγαθοι οι δυο υπερ τον ενα οις εστιν αυτοις μισθος αγαθος εν μοχθω αυτων | 9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. |
| 10 οτι εαν πεσωσιν ο εις εγερει τον μετοχον αυτου και ουαι αυτω τω ενι οταν πεση και μη η δευτερος του εγειραι αυτον | 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up. |
| 11 και γε εαν κοιμηθωσιν δυο και θερμη αυτοις και ο εις πως θερμανθη | 11 Again, if two lie together, they are warm; but how can one be warm alone? |
| 12 και εαν επικραταιωθη ο εις οι δυο στησονται κατεναντι αυτου και το σπαρτιον το εντριτον ου ταχεως απορραγησεται | 12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him. A threefold cord is not quickly broken. |
| 13 αγαθος παις πενης και σοφος υπερ βασιλεα πρεσβυτερον και αφρονα ος ουκ εγνω του προσεχειν ετι | 13 Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who will no longer take advice, |
| 14 οτι εξ οικου των δεσμιων εξελευσεται του βασιλευσαι οτι και γε εν βασιλεια αυτου εγεννηθη πενης | 14 even though he had gone from prison to the throne or in his own kingdom had been born poor. |
| 15 ειδον συν παντας τους ζωντας τους περιπατουντας υπο τον ηλιον μετα του νεανισκου του δευτερου ος στησεται αντ' αυτου | 15 I saw all the living who move about under the sun, as well as that youth, who was to stand in his place; |
| 16 ουκ εστιν περασμος τω παντι λαω τοις πασιν οσοι εγενοντο εμπροσθεν αυτων και γε οι εσχατοι ουκ ευφρανθησονται εν αυτω οτι και γε τουτο ματαιοτης και προαιρεσις πνευματος | 16 there was no end of all the people; he was over all of them. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind. |
| 17 φυλαξον ποδα σου εν ω εαν πορευη εις οικον του θεου και εγγυς του ακουειν υπερ δομα των αφρονων θυσια σου οτι ουκ εισιν ειδοτες του ποιησαι κακον | |
