¹Then I returned and saw 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.

¹Ja ma nägin taas kõiki rõhumisi, mida pandi toime päikese all, ja vaata, seal olid rõhutute pisarad, aga neil ei olnud trööstijat! Nende rõhujate käes oli võim, aga neil ei olnud trööstijat.

²Wherefore I praised the dead that have been long dead more than the living that are yet alive;

²Siis ma kiitsin surnuid, kes olid ammu surnud, õnnelikumaks kui elavaid, kes veel tänini elavad,

³yea, better than them both [did I esteem] him that hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

³ja et parem kui neil kummalgi on sellel, keda veel ei ole olemas, kes veel ei ole näinud seda kurja tööd, mida päikese all tehakse.

⁴Then I saw all labor and every skilful work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

⁴Ja ma nägin, et kõik vaev ja kõik saavutused töös tekitavad inimeses ainult kadedust ligimese vastu. Seegi on tühi töö ja vaimunärimine!

⁵The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.

⁵Alp paneb käed risti ja sööb omaenese ihu.

⁶Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and striving after wind.

⁶Parem üks peotäis rahuga kui kaks peotäit vaeva ja vaimunärimisega.

⁷Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

⁷Ja taas nägin ma tühja tööd päikese all:

⁸There is one that is alone, and he hath not a second; yea, he hath neither son nor brother; yet is there no end of all his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with riches. For whom then, [saith he], do I labor, and deprive my soul of good? This also is vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.

⁸seal on keegi üksik, tal ei ole kedagi, ei poega ega venda, kuid ometi pole otsa kogu ta vaeval ja ta silmad ei saa rikkusest küllalt. Aga kelle pärast ma siis ennast vaevan ja keelan oma hingele head nautimast? Seegi on tühi ja õnnetu töö!

⁹Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.

⁹Parem on olla kahekesi kui üksi, sest neil on oma vaevast hea palk:

¹⁰For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, and hath not another to lift him up.

¹⁰kui nad langevad, siis tõstab teine oma kaaslase üles. Aga häda sellele, kes üksik on, kui ta langeb, ega ole teist, kes ta üles tõstaks!

¹¹Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one be warm [alone]?

¹¹Nõndasamuti: kui kaks magavad üheskoos, siis on neil soe; aga kuidas üksik sooja saab?

¹²And if a man prevail against him that is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

¹²Ja kui ka üksikust jagu saadakse, siis kaks panevad ometi vastu; ja kolmekordset lõnga ei kista katki nii kergesti.

¹³Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth not how to receive admonition any more.

¹³Parem on vaene, aga tark nooruk kui vana ja alp kuningas, kes enam ei taipa hoiatust tähele panna.

¹⁴For out of prison he came forth to be king; yea, even in his kingdom he was born poor.

¹⁴Sest too tuli vangikojast valitsema, kuigi oli sündinud vaesena tema kuningriigis.

¹⁵I saw all the living that walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the second, that stood up in his stead.

¹⁵Ma nägin kõiki elavaid, kes liiguvad päikese all, olevat tolle teise, nooruki poolt, kes pidi astuma tema asemele.

¹⁶There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was: yet they that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

¹⁶Ei olnud lõppu kogu sellel rahval, neil kõigil, kelle eesotsas ta oli; ometi ei tunne järeltulijad temast rõõmu. Sest seegi on tühi töö ja vaimunärimine.

¹⁷Hoia oma jalga, kui sa lähed Jumala kotta! Kuulamaminek on parem kui alpide ohvriand, sest need ei tea, et nad teevad kurja.