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Chapter 4
The Evil of Oppression
1
Again [I looked], and I considered all the oppression taking place under the sun. [I] saw the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; the power [lay] in the hands of their oppressors, and there was no comforter.
𐤅𐤔𐤁𐤕𐤉 𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤀𐤓𐤀𐤄 𐤀𐤕 𐤊𐤋 𐤄𐤏𐤔𐤒𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤍𐤏𐤔𐤉𐤌 𐤕𐤇𐤕 𐤄𐤔𐤌𐤔 𐤅𐤄𐤍𐤄 𐤃𐤌𐤏𐤕 𐤄𐤏𐤔𐤒𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤋𐤄𐤌 𐤌𐤍𐤇𐤌 𐤊𐤇 𐤅𐤌𐤉𐤃 𐤏𐤔𐤒𐤉𐤄𐤌 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤋𐤄𐤌 𐤌𐤍𐤇𐤌
וְשַׁ֣בְתִּֽי אֲנִ֗י וָאֶרְאֶה֙ אֶת־ כָּל־ הָ֣עֲשֻׁקִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר נַעֲשִׂ֖ים תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ וְהִנֵּ֣ה׀ דִּמְעַ֣ת הָעֲשֻׁקִ֗ים וְאֵ֤ין לָהֶם֙ מְנַחֵ֔ם כֹּ֔חַ וּמִיַּ֤ד עֹֽשְׁקֵיהֶם֙ וְאֵ֥ין לָהֶ֖ם מְנַחֵֽם׃ wə·šaḇ·tî ’ă·nî wā·’er·’eh ’eṯ- kāl- hā·‘ă·šu·qîm ’ă·šer na·‘ă·śîm ta·ḥaṯ haš·šā·meš wə·hin·nêh dim·‘aṯ hā·‘ă·šu·qîm wə·’ên lā·hem mə·na·ḥêm kō·aḥ ū·mî·yaḏ ‘ō·šə·qê·hem wə·’ên lā·hem mə·na·ḥêm — WLC · 1
2
So I admired the dead, who had already died, above the living, who… are still alive.
𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤀𐤕 𐤅𐤔𐤁𐤇 𐤄𐤌𐤕𐤉𐤌 𐤔𐤊𐤁𐤓 𐤌𐤕𐤅 𐤌𐤍 𐤄𐤇𐤉𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤄𐤌𐤄 𐤏𐤃𐤍𐤄 𐤇𐤉𐤉𐤌
אֲנִ֛י אֶת־ וְשַׁבֵּ֧חַ הַמֵּתִ֖ים שֶׁכְּבָ֣ר מֵ֑תוּ מִן־ הַ֣חַיִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֛ר הֵ֥מָּה עֲדֶֽנָה׃ חַיִּ֖ים ’ă·nî ’eṯ- wə·šab·bê·aḥ ham·mê·ṯîm šek·kə·ḇār mê·ṯū min- ha·ḥay·yîm ’ă·šer hêm·māh ‘ă·ḏe·nāh ḥay·yîm — WLC · 2
3
But better than both is he who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil… that is done under the sun.
𐤅𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤌𐤔𐤍𐤉𐤄𐤌 𐤀𐤕 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤋𐤀 𐤏𐤃𐤍 𐤄𐤉𐤄 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤋𐤀 𐤓𐤀𐤄 𐤀𐤕 𐤄𐤓𐤏 𐤄𐤌𐤏𐤔𐤄 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤍𐤏𐤔𐤄 𐤕𐤇𐤕 𐤄𐤔𐤌𐤔
וְטוֹב֙ מִשְּׁנֵיהֶ֔ם אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־ לֹ֣א עֲדֶ֖ן הָיָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־ רָאָה֙ אֶת־ הָרָ֔ע הַמַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נַעֲשָׂ֖ה תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ wə·ṭō·wḇ miš·šə·nê·hem ’êṯ ’ă·šer- lō ‘ă·ḏen hā·yāh ’ă·šer lō- rā·’āh ’eṯ- hā·rā‘ ham·ma·‘ă·śeh ’ă·šer na·‘ă·śāh ta·ḥaṯ haš·šā·meš — WLC · 3
4
I saw that all labor and success… spring from… a man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤀𐤕 𐤅𐤓𐤀𐤉𐤕𐤉 𐤊𐤋 𐤏𐤌𐤋 𐤅𐤀𐤕 𐤊𐤋 𐤊𐤔𐤓𐤅𐤍 𐤄𐤌𐤏𐤔𐤄 𐤊𐤉 𐤄𐤉𐤀 𐤀𐤉𐤔 𐤒𐤍𐤀𐤕 𐤌𐤓𐤏𐤄𐤅 𐤆𐤄 𐤂𐤌 𐤄𐤁𐤋 𐤅𐤓𐤏𐤅𐤕 𐤓𐤅𐤇
אֲנִ֜י אֶת־ וְרָאִ֨יתִֽי כָּל־ עָמָ֗ל וְאֵת֙ כָּל־ כִּשְׁר֣וֹן הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֔ה כִּ֛י הִ֥יא אִ֖ישׁ קִנְאַת־ מֵרֵעֵ֑הוּ זֶ֥ה גַּם־ הֶ֖בֶל וּרְע֥וּת רֽוּחַ׃ ’ă·nî ’eṯ- wə·rā·’î·ṯî kāl- ‘ā·māl wə·’êṯ kāl- kiš·rō·wn ham·ma·‘ă·śeh kî hî ’îš qin·’aṯ- mê·rê·‘ê·hū zeh gam- he·ḇel ū·rə·‘ūṯ rū·aḥ — WLC · 4
5
The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.
𐤄𐤊𐤎𐤉𐤋 𐤇𐤁𐤒 𐤀𐤕 𐤉𐤃𐤉𐤅 𐤅𐤀𐤊𐤋 𐤀𐤕 𐤁𐤔𐤓𐤅
הַכְּסִיל֙ חֹבֵ֣ק אֶת־ יָדָ֔יו וְאֹכֵ֖ל אֶת־ בְּשָׂרֽוֹ׃ hak·kə·sîl ḥō·ḇêq ’eṯ- yā·ḏāw wə·’ō·ḵêl ’eṯ- bə·śā·rōw — WLC · 5
6
Better one handful… with tranquility than two handfuls… with toil and pursuit of the wind.
𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤌𐤋𐤀 𐤊𐤐 𐤍𐤇𐤕 𐤌𐤌𐤋𐤀 𐤇𐤐𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤏𐤌𐤋 𐤅𐤓𐤏𐤅𐤕 𐤓𐤅𐤇
ט֕וֹב מְלֹ֥א כַ֖ף נָ֑חַת מִמְּלֹ֥א חָפְנַ֛יִם עָמָ֖ל וּרְע֥וּת רֽוּחַ׃ ṭō·wḇ mə·lō ḵap̄ nā·ḥaṯ mim·mə·lō ḥā·p̄ə·na·yim ‘ā·māl ū·rə·‘ūṯ rū·aḥ — WLC · 6
7
Again, I saw futility under the sun.
𐤅𐤔𐤁𐤕𐤉 𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤀𐤓𐤀𐤄 𐤄𐤁𐤋 𐤕𐤇𐤕 𐤄𐤔𐤌𐤔
וְשַׁ֧בְתִּי אֲנִ֛י וָאֶרְאֶ֥ה הֶ֖בֶל תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ wə·šaḇ·tî ’ă·nî wā·’er·’eh he·ḇel ta·ḥaṯ haš·šā·meš — WLC · 7
8
There is a man all alone…, without even a son or brother. And though there is no end to his labor, his eyes are still not content with his wealth: “For whom do I toil and bereave my soul of enjoyment?” This too is futile— a miserable… task.
𐤉𐤔 𐤀𐤇𐤃 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤔𐤍𐤉 𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤋𐤅 𐤂𐤌 𐤁𐤍 𐤅𐤀𐤇 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤒𐤑 𐤋𐤊𐤋 𐤏𐤌𐤋𐤅 𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉𐤅 𐤂𐤌 𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤔𐤁𐤏 𐤏𐤔𐤓 𐤅𐤋𐤌𐤉 𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤏𐤌𐤋 𐤅𐤌𐤇𐤎𐤓 𐤀𐤕 𐤍𐤐𐤔𐤉 𐤌𐤈𐤅𐤁𐤄 𐤆𐤄 𐤂𐤌 𐤄𐤁𐤋 𐤓𐤏 𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤅𐤏𐤍𐤉𐤍
יֵ֣שׁ אֶחָד֩ וְאֵ֨ין שֵׁנִ֜י אֵֽין־ ל֗וֹ גַּ֣ם בֵּ֧ן וָאָ֣ח וְאֵ֥ין קֵץ֙ לְכָל־ עֲמָל֔וֹ עֵינָיו גַּם־ לֹא־ תִשְׂבַּ֣ע עֹ֑שֶׁר וּלְמִ֣י׀ אֲנִ֣י עָמֵ֗ל וּמְחַסֵּ֤ר אֶת־ נַפְשִׁי֙ מִטּוֹבָ֔ה זֶ֥ה גַּם־ הֶ֛בֶל רָ֖ע הֽוּא׃ וְעִנְיַ֥ן yêš ’e·ḥāḏ wə·’ên šê·nî ’ên- lōw gam bên wā·’āḥ wə·’ên qêṣ lə·ḵāl ‘ă·mā·lōw ʿē·nå̄w gam- lō- ṯiś·ba‘ ‘ō·šer ū·lə·mî ’ă·nî ‘ā·mêl ū·mə·ḥas·sêr ’eṯ- nap̄·šî miṭ·ṭō·w·ḇāh zeh gam- he·ḇel rā‘ hū wə·‘in·yan — WLC · 8
9
Two are better than one, because they have… a good return for their labor.
𐤄𐤔𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤈𐤅𐤁𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤍 𐤄𐤀𐤇𐤃 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤉𐤔 𐤋𐤄𐤌 𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤔𐤊𐤓 𐤁𐤏𐤌𐤋𐤌
הַשְּׁנַ֖יִם טוֹבִ֥ים מִן־ הָאֶחָ֑ד אֲשֶׁ֧ר יֵשׁ־ לָהֶ֛ם ט֖וֹב שָׂכָ֥ר בַּעֲמָלָֽם׃ haš·šə·na·yim ṭō·w·ḇîm min- hā·’e·ḥāḏ ’ă·šer yêš- lā·hem ṭō·wḇ śā·ḵār ba·‘ă·mā·lām — WLC · 9
10
For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up!
𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤌 𐤄𐤀𐤇𐤃 𐤉𐤐𐤋𐤅 𐤇𐤁𐤓𐤅 𐤉𐤒𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤕 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤋𐤅 𐤄𐤀𐤇𐤃 𐤔𐤉𐤐𐤅𐤋 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤔𐤍𐤉 𐤋𐤄𐤒𐤉𐤌𐤅
כִּ֣י אִם־ הָאֶחָ֖ד יִפֹּ֔לוּ חֲבֵר֑וֹ יָקִ֣ים אֶת־ וְאִ֣יל֗וֹ הָֽאֶחָד֙ שֶׁיִּפּ֔וֹל וְאֵ֥ין שֵׁנִ֖י לַהֲקִימֽוֹ׃ kî ’im- hā·’e·ḥāḏ yip·pō·lū ḥă·ḇê·rōw yā·qîm ’eṯ- wə·’î·lōw hā·’e·ḥāḏ še·yip·pō·wl wə·’ên šê·nî la·hă·qî·mōw — WLC · 10
11
Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm but how can one keep warm {alone}?
𐤂𐤌 𐤀𐤌 𐤔𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤔𐤊𐤁𐤅 𐤅𐤇𐤌 𐤋𐤄𐤌 𐤀𐤉𐤊 𐤅𐤋𐤀𐤇𐤃 𐤉𐤇𐤌
גַּ֛ם אִם־ שְׁנַ֖יִם יִשְׁכְּב֥וּ וְחַ֣ם לָהֶ֑ם אֵ֥יךְ וּלְאֶחָ֖ד יֵחָֽם׃ gam ’im- šə·na·yim yiš·kə·ḇū wə·ḥam lā·hem ’êḵ ū·lə·’e·ḥāḏ yê·ḥām — WLC · 11
12
And though one may be overpowered, two can resist -. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
𐤅𐤀𐤌 𐤄𐤀𐤇𐤃 𐤉𐤕𐤒𐤐𐤅 𐤄𐤔𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤏𐤌𐤃𐤅 𐤍𐤂𐤃𐤅 𐤅𐤄𐤇𐤅𐤈 𐤄𐤌𐤔𐤋𐤔 𐤋𐤀 𐤁𐤌𐤄𐤓𐤄 𐤉𐤍𐤕𐤒
וְאִֽם־ הָאֶחָ֔ד יִתְקְפוֹ֙ הַשְּׁנַ֖יִם יַעַמְד֣וּ נֶגְדּ֑וֹ וְהַחוּט֙ הַֽמְשֻׁלָּ֔שׁ לֹ֥א בִמְהֵרָ֖ה יִנָּתֵֽק׃ wə·’im- hā·’e·ḥāḏ yiṯ·qə·p̄ōw haš·šə·na·yim ya·‘am·ḏū neḡ·dōw wə·ha·ḥūṭ ham·šul·lāš lō ḇim·hê·rāh yin·nā·ṯêq — WLC · 12
The Futility of Power
13
Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take a warning.
𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤌𐤎𐤊𐤍 𐤅𐤇𐤊𐤌 𐤉𐤋𐤃 𐤆𐤒𐤍 𐤅𐤊𐤎𐤉𐤋 𐤌𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤋𐤀 𐤏𐤅𐤃 𐤉𐤃𐤏 𐤋𐤄𐤆𐤄𐤓
ט֛וֹב מִסְכֵּ֖ן וְחָכָ֑ם יֶ֥לֶד זָקֵן֙ וּכְסִ֔יל מִמֶּ֤לֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־ עֽוֹד׃ יָדַ֥ע לְהִזָּהֵ֖ר ṭō·wḇ mis·kên wə·ḥā·ḵām ye·leḏ zā·qên ū·ḵə·sîl mim·me·leḵ ’ă·šer lō- ‘ō·wḏ yā·ḏa‘ lə·hiz·zā·hêr — WLC · 13
14
For [the youth] has come from the prison… to the kingship, though… he was born poor in his own kingdom.
𐤊𐤉 𐤉𐤑𐤀 𐤌𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤄𐤎𐤅𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤋𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤊𐤉 𐤂𐤌 𐤍𐤅𐤋𐤃 𐤓𐤔 𐤁𐤌𐤋𐤊𐤅𐤕𐤅
כִּֽי־ יָצָ֣א מִבֵּ֥ית הָסוּרִ֖ים לִמְלֹ֑ךְ כִּ֛י גַּ֥ם נוֹלַ֥ד רָֽשׁ׃ בְּמַלְכוּת֖וֹ kî- yā·ṣā mib·bêṯ hā·sū·rîm lim·lōḵ kî gam nō·w·laḏ rāš bə·mal·ḵū·ṯōw — WLC · 14
15
I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed this second one, the youth who succeeded [the king].
𐤓𐤀𐤉𐤕𐤉 𐤀𐤕 𐤊𐤋 𐤄𐤇𐤉𐤉𐤌 𐤄𐤌𐤄𐤋𐤊𐤉𐤌 𐤕𐤇𐤕 𐤄𐤔𐤌𐤔 𐤏𐤌 𐤄𐤔𐤍𐤉 𐤄𐤉𐤋𐤃 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤉𐤏𐤌𐤃 𐤕𐤇𐤕𐤉𐤅
רָאִ֙יתִי֙ אֶת־ כָּל־ הַ֣חַיִּ֔ים הַֽמְהַלְּכִ֖ים תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ עִ֚ם הַשֵּׁנִ֔י הַיֶּ֣לֶד אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַעֲמֹ֖ד תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ rā·’î·ṯî ’eṯ- kāl- ha·ḥay·yîm ham·hal·lə·ḵîm ta·ḥaṯ haš·šā·meš ‘im haš·šê·nî hay·ye·leḏ ’ă·šer ya·‘ă·mōḏ taḥ·tāw — WLC · 15
16
There is no limit to all the people… who were before them. Yet [the successor] will not be celebrated by those who come even later. This too… is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤒𐤑 𐤋𐤊𐤋 𐤄𐤏𐤌 𐤋𐤊𐤋 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤄𐤉𐤄 𐤋𐤐𐤍𐤉𐤄𐤌 𐤂𐤌 𐤁𐤅 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤔𐤌𐤇𐤅 𐤄𐤀𐤇𐤓𐤅𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤆𐤄 𐤊𐤉 𐤂𐤌 𐤄𐤁𐤋 𐤅𐤓𐤏𐤉𐤅𐤍 𐤓𐤅𐤇
אֵֽין־ קֵ֣ץ לְכָל־ הָעָ֗ם לְכֹ֤ל אֲשֶׁר־ הָיָה֙ לִפְנֵיהֶ֔ם גַּ֥ם ב֑וֹ לֹ֣א יִשְׂמְחוּ־ הָאַחֲרוֹנִ֖ים זֶ֥ה כִּֽי־ גַם־ הֶ֖בֶל וְרַעְי֥וֹן רֽוּחַ׃ ’ên- qêṣ lə·ḵāl hā·‘ām lə·ḵōl ’ă·šer- hā·yāh lip̄·nê·hem gam ḇōw lō yiś·mə·ḥū- hā·’a·ḥă·rō·w·nîm zeh kî- ḡam- he·ḇel wə·ra‘·yō·wn rū·aḥ — WLC · 16