Qoelet 4

NOVA VULGATA	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Verti me ad alia et vidi calumnias, quae sub sole geruntur, et eccelacrimae oppressorum, et nemo consolator; et ex parte opprimentium violentia, etnemo consolator.	1 Then again, I contemplate al the oppression that is committed under the sun. Take for instance thetears of the oppressed. No one to comfort them! The power their oppressors wield. No one to comfort them!
2 Et laudavi magis mortuos, qui iam defuncti sunt, quamviventes, qui adhuc vitam agunt,	2 So, rather than the living who stil have lives to live, I congratulate the dead who have already metdeath;
3 et feliciorem utroque iudicavi, qui necdumnatus est nec vidit opera mala, quae sub sole fiunt.	3 happier than both of these are those who are yet unborn and have not seen the evil things that are doneunder the sun.
4 Rursum contemplatus sum omnes labores et omnem successum operis, et hoc essezelum in proximum suum. Et in hoc ergo vanitas et afflictio spiritus.	4 I see that al effort and all achievement spring from mutual jealousy. This too is futility and chasing afterthe wind.
5 Stultus complicat manus suas et comedit carnes suas.	5 The fool folds his arms and eats his own flesh away.
6 Melior est pugillus cum requie quam plena utraque manus cum labore et afflictione spiritus.	6 Better one hand full of repose than two hands ful of achievements to chase after the wind.
7 Iterum repperi et aliam vanitatem sub sole:	7 And something else futile I observe under the sun:
8 unus est et secundum non habet,non filium, non fratrem, et tamen laborare non cessat, nec satiantur oculi eiusdivitiis, nec recogitat dicens: “ Cui laboro et fraudo animam meam bonis?”.In hoc quoque vanitas est et occupatio pessima.	8 a person is quite alone -- no child, no brother; and yet there is no end to his efforts, his eyes can neverhave their fil of riches. For whom, then, do I work so hard and grudge myself pleasure? This too is futile, a sorry business.
9 Melius est duos esse simulquam unum: habent enim emolumentum in labore suo,	9 Better two than one alone, since thus their work is real y rewarding.
10 quia si unus ceciderit, abaltero fulcietur. Vae soli! Cum ceciderit, non habet sublevantem se.	10 If one should fal , the other helps him up; but what of the person with no one to help him up when hefal s?
11 Insuper,si dormierint duo, fovebuntur mutuo; unus quomodo calefiet?	11 Again: if two sleep together they keep warm, but how can anyone keep warm alone?
12 Et, si quispiampraevaluerit contra unum, duo resistent ei. Et fu niculus triplex non citorumpitur.	12 Where one alone would be overcome, two wil put up resistance; and a threefold cord is not quicklybroken.
13 Melior est puer pauper et sapiens rege sene et stulto, qui iam nescit erudiri.	13 Better a youngster poor and wise than a monarch old and sil y who wil no longer take advice-
14 Ille enim de domo carceris exivit, ut regnaret, etiamsi in regno istius natussit pauper.	14 even though stepping from prison to the throne, even though born a beggar in that kingdom.
15 Vidi cunctos viventes, qui ambulant sub sole, cum adulescenteillo secundo, qui consurgebat pro eo.	15 I observe that al who live and move under the sun support the young newcomer who takes over.
16 Infinitus numerus erat populi, omnium,quos ipse praecedebat; sed qui postea futuri sunt, non laetabuntur in eo. Et hocvanitas et afflictio spiritus.	16 He takes his place at the head of innumerable subjects; but his successors wil not think the morekindly of him for that. This too is futile and chasing after the wind.
17 Custodi pedem tuum ingrediens domum Dei, nam accedere, ut audias, melius estquam cum stulti offerunt victimas: multo enim melior est oboedientia quamstultorum victimae, qui nesciunt se malum facere.	17 Watch your step when you go to the House of God: drawing near to listen is better than the offering ofa sacrifice by fools, though they do not know that they are doing wrong.