Oppression, Toil, Friendlessness
1Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun:
I saw the tears of the oppressed—
and they have no comforter;
power was on the side of their oppressors—
and they have no comforter.
2And I declared that the dead,
who had already died,
are happier than the living,
who are still alive.
3But better than both
is the one who has never been born,
who has not seen the evil
that is done under the sun.
4And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
5Fools fold their hands
and ruin themselves.
6Better one handful with tranquillity
than two handfuls with toil
and chasing after the wind.
7Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:
8There was a man all alone;
he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
“For whom am I toiling,” he asked,
“and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?”
This too is meaningless—
a miserable business!
9Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
10If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
11Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
12Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Advancement Is Meaningless
13Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning. 14The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. 15I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor. 16There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
1Nakita ko ulit ang mga pang-aapi rito sa mundo. Umiiyak ang mga inaapi, pero walang tumutulong sa kanila dahil makapangyarihan ang mga umaapi sa kanila. 2Kaya nasabi kong mas mabuti pa ang mga patay kaysa sa mga buhay. 3Pero higit na mabuti ang mga hindi pa ipinapanganak, na hindi pa nakakakita ng kasamaan dito sa mundo.
4Nakita ko rin na nagsusumikap ang mga tao at ginagawa ang lahat ng makakaya dahil naiinggit sila sa kanilang kapwa. Wala itong kabuluhan; para silang humahabol sa hangin.
5Hangal ang taong tamad, kaya halos mamatay sa gutom. 6Mas mabuti pang magkaroon ng isang dakot na pagkain pero may kapayapaan, kaysa sa maraming pagkain pero hirap na hirap naman sa pagtatrabaho at nauuwi lang sa wala ang lahat. Para ka lang humahabol sa hangin.
7May nakita pa ako sa mundong ito na walang kabuluhan. 8May isang taong nag-iisa sa buhay. Wala siyang anak at wala ring kapatid. Pero wala siyang tigil sa pagtatrabaho at hindi nakokontento sa kanyang kayamanan. Sinabi niya sa kanyang sarili, “Hindi na ako nakakapagsaya dahil sa sobrang pagtatrabaho. Pero wala naman akong mapag-iiwanan ng aking mga pinaghirapan.” Wala itong kabuluhan! At napakalungkot ng ganitong klase ng buhay.
9Mas mabuti ang may kasama kaysa mag-isa; mas marami silang magagawa. 10Kapag nadapa ang isa sa kanila maitatayo siya ng kanyang kasama. Kaya nakakaawa ang taong nag-iisa at nadapa, dahil walang tutulong sa kanya. 11Kapag malamig, pwede kayong matulog nang magkatabi at pareho kayong maiinitan. Pero kung nag-iisa ka, papaano ka maiinitan? 12Madali kang matalo kung nag-iisa ka, pero kung may kasama ka, mahirap kayong talunin. Tulad din ng lubid na may tatlong pilipit na hibla, mahirap itong malagot.
13Mas mabuti pa ang isang batang mahirap pero marunong, kaysa sa isang matandang hari pero hangal at ayaw tumanggap ng payo. 14At maaaring maging hari ang batang iyon kahit siya ay nakulong at ang matandang hari namang iyon ay maaaring maghirap kahit na ipinanganak pa siyang dugong bughaw. 15Pero naisip ko na kahit maraming tao dito sa mundo ang susunod sa batang iyon na pumalit sa hari, 16at hindi mabilang ang mga taong paghaharian niya, maaaring hindi rin masisiyahan sa kanya ang susunod na henerasyon. Ito man ay wala ring kabuluhan. Para kang humahabol sa hangin.
