ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑΣΤΗΣ - Qoelet - Ecclesiastes 4

LXX	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
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 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 και επηνεσα εγω συν τους τεθνηκοτας τους ηδη αποθανοντας υπερ τους ζωντας οσοι αυτοι ζωσιν εως του νυν	2 And those now dead, I declared more fortunate in death than are the living to be 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 And better off than both is the yet unborn, who has not seen the wicked work that is 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 skillful work is the rivalry of one man for another. This also is vanity and a chase after wind.
5 ο αφρων περιελαβεν τας χειρας αυτου και εφαγεν τας σαρκας αυτου	5 "The fool folds his arms and consumes his own flesh"--
6 αγαθον πληρωμα δρακος αναπαυσεως υπερ πληρωμα δυο δρακων μοχθου και προαιρεσεως πνευματος	6 Better is one handful with tranquility than two with toil and a chase after wind!
7 και επεστρεψα εγω και ειδον ματαιοτητα υπο τον ηλιον	7 Again I found this 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 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 αγαθοι οι δυο υπερ τον ενα οις εστιν αυτοις μισθος αγαθος εν μοχθω αυτων	9 Two are better than one: they get a good wage for their labor.
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 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 και γε εαν κοιμηθωσιν δυο και θερμη αυτοις και ο εις πως θερμανθη	11 So also, if two sleep together, they keep each other warm. How can one alone keep warm?
12 και εαν επικραταιωθη ο εις οι δυο στησονται κατεναντι αυτου και το σπαρτιον το εντριτον ου ταχεως απορραγησεται	12 Where a lone man may be overcome, two together can resist. A three-ply cord is not easily broken.
13 αγαθος παις πενης και σοφος υπερ βασιλεα πρεσβυτερον και αφρονα ος ουκ εγνω του προσεχειν ετι	13 Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows caution;
14 οτι εξ οικου των δεσμιων εξελευσεται του βασιλευσαι οτι και γε εν βασιλεια αυτου εγεννηθη πενης	14 for from a prison house one comes forth to rule, since even in his royalty he was poor at birth.
15 ειδον συν παντας τους ζωντας τους περιπατουντας υπο τον ηλιον μετα του νεανισκου του δευτερου ος στησεται 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 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 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 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	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.