Ecclesiastes 4

VULGATA	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Verti me ad alia, et vidi calumnias quæ sub sole geruntur, et lacrimas innocentium, et neminem consolatorem, nec posse resistere eorum violentiæ, cunctorum auxilio destitutos,	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 quam viventes ;	2 So, rather than the living who stil have lives to live, I congratulate the dead who have already metdeath;
3 et feliciorem utroque judicavi qui necdum natus est, nec vidit mala quæ 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 hominum, et industrias animadverti patere invidiæ proximi ; et in hoc ergo vanitas et cura superflua est.	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, dicens :	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 animi.	6 Better one hand full of repose than two hands ful of achievements to chase after the wind.
7 Considerans, reperi 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 ejus divitiis ; nec recogitat, dicens : Cui laboro, et fraudo animam meam bonis ? In hoc quoque vanitas est et afflictio 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 ergo duos esse simul quam unum ; habent enim emolumentum societatis suæ.	9 Better two than one alone, since thus their work is real y rewarding.
10 Si unus ceciderit, ab altero fulcietur. Væ soli, quia 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 Et 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 quispiam prævaluerit contra unum, duo resistunt ei ; funiculus triplex difficile rumpitur.	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 nescit prævidere in posterum.	13 Better a youngster poor and wise than a monarch old and sil y who wil no longer take advice-
14 Quod de carcere catenisque interdum quis egrediatur ad regnum ; et alius, natus in regno, inopia consumatur.	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 adolescente secundo, qui consurget pro eo.	15 I observe that al who live and move under the sun support the young newcomer who takes over.
16 Infinitus numerus est populi omnium qui fuerunt ante eum, et qui postea futuri sunt non lætabuntur in eo ; sed et hoc vanitas 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, et appropinqua ut audias. Multo enim melior est obedientia quam stultorum victimæ, qui nesciunt quid faciunt mali.	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.