Ecclesiastes 4

ثُمَّ رَجَعْتُ وَرَأَيْتُ كُلَّ الْمَظَالِمِ الَّتِي تُجْرَى تَحْتَ الشَّمْسِ: فَهُوَذَا دُمُوعُ الْمَظْلُومِينَ وَلاَ مُعَزّ لَهُمْ، وَمِنْ يَدِ ظَالِمِيهِمْ قَهْرٌ، أَمَّا هُمْ فَلاَ مُعَزّ لَهُمْ.

So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.

فَغَبَطْتُ أَنَا الأَمْوَاتَ الَّذِينَ قَدْ مَاتُوا مُنْذُ زَمَانٍ أَكْثَرَ مِنَ الأَحْيَاءِ الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَائِشُونَ بَعْدُ.

Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.

وَخَيْرٌ مِنْ كِلَيْهِمَا الَّذِي لَمْ يُولَدْ بَعْدُ، الَّذِي لَمْ يَرَ الْعَمَلَ الرَّدِيءَ الَّذِي عُمِلَ تَحْتَ الشَّمْسِ.

Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

وَرَأَيْتُ كُلَّ التَّعَبِ وَكُلَّ فَلاَحِ عَمَل أَنَّهُ حَسَدُ الإِنْسَانِ مِنْ قَرِيبِهِ. وَهذَا أَيْضًا بَاطِلٌ وَقَبْضُ الرِّيحِ.

Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

اَلْكَسْلاَنُ يَأْكُلُ لَحْمَهُ وَهُوَ طَاوٍ يَدَيْهِ.

The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.

حُفْنَةُ رَاحَةٍ خَيْرٌ مِنْ حُفْنَتَيْ تَعَبٍ وَقَبْضِ الرِّيحِ.

Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.

ثُمَّ عُدْتُ وَرَأَيْتُ بَاطِلاً تَحْتَ الشَّمْسِ:

Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.

يُوجَدُ وَاحِدٌ وَلاَ ثَانِيَ لَهُ، وَلَيْسَ لَهُ ابْنٌ وَلاَ أَخٌ، وَلاَ نِهَايَةَ لِكُلِّ تَعَبِهِ، وَلاَ تَشْبَعُ عَيْنُهُ مِنَ الْغِنَى. فَلِمَنْ أَتْعَبُ أَنَا وَأُحَرِّمُ نَفْسِي الْخَيْرَ؟ هذَا أَيْضًا بَاطِلٌ وَأَمْرٌ رَدِيءٌ هُوَ.

There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.

اِثْنَانِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ وَاحِدٍ، لأَنَّ لَهُمَا أُجْرَةً لِتَعَبِهِمَا صَالِحَةً.

Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

لأَنَّهُ إِنْ وَقَعَ أَحَدُهُمَا يُقِيمُهُ رَفِيقُهُ. وَوَيْلٌ لِمَنْ هُوَ وَحْدَهُ إِنْ وَقَعَ، إِذْ لَيْسَ ثَانٍ لِيُقِيمَهُ.

For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

أَيْضًا إِنِ اضْطَجَعَ اثْنَانِ يَكُونُ لَهُمَا دِفْءٌ، أَمَّا الْوَحْدُ فَكَيْفَ يَدْفَأُ؟

Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?

وَإِنْ غَلَبَ أَحَدٌ عَلَى الْوَاحِدِ يَقِفُ مُقَابَلَهُ الاثْنَانِ، وَالْخَيْطُ الْمَثْلُوثُ لاَ يَنْقَطِعُ سَرِيعًا.

And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

وَلَدٌ فَقِيرٌ وَحَكِيمٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ مَلِكٍ شَيْخٍ جَاهِل، الَّذِي لاَ يَعْرِفُ أَنْ يُحَذَّرَ بَعْدُ.

Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.

لأَنَّهُ مِنَ السِّجْنِ خَرَجَ إِلَى الْمُلْكِ، وَالْمَوْلُودُ مَلِكًا قَدْ يَفْتَقِرُ.

For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor.

رَأَيْتُ كُلَّ الأَحْيَاءِ السَّائِرِينَ تَحْتَ الشَّمْسِ مَعَ الْوَلَدِ الثَّانِي الَّذِي يَقُومُ عِوَضًا عَنْهُ.

I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead.

لاَ نِهَايَةَ لِكُلِّ الشَّعْبِ، لِكُلِّ الَّذِينَ كَانَ أَمَامَهُمْ. أَيْضًا الْمُتَأَخِّرُونَ لاَ يَفْرَحُونَ بِهِ. فَهذَا أَيْضًا بَاطِلٌ وَقَبْضُ الرِّيحِ.

There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.