Chuándàoshū 4:4-16

4 Wǒ yòu jiàn rén wèi yīqiè de laólù , hé gèyàng língqiǎo de gōngzuò , jiù beì línshè jídù . zhè yĕ shì xū kōng , yĕ shì bǔ fēng .

5 Yúmeì rén bào zhe shǒu , chī zìjǐ de ròu .

6 Mǎn le yī bǎ , dé xiǎng ānjìng , jiàng rú mǎn le liǎng bǎ , laólù bǔ fēng .

7 Wǒ yòu zhuǎn niàn , jiàn rì guāng zhī xià yǒu yī jiàn xū kōng de shì .

8 Yǒu rén gū dān wú èr , wú zǐ , wú xiōng , jìng laólù bù xī , yǎnmù yĕ bù yǐ qiáncái wéi zú . ( tā shuō ) wǒ laó laólù lù , kè kǔ zìjǐ , bù xiǎng fú lè , dàodǐ shì wéi shuí ne . zhè yĕ shì xū kōng , shì jí zhòng de laókǔ .

9 Liǎng gèrén zǒng bǐ yī gèrén hǎo , yīnwei èr rén laólù tóng dé mĕihǎo de guǒ xiào .

10 Ruò shì diēdǎo , zhè rén kĕyǐ fú qǐ tāde tóngbàn . ruò shì gū shēn diēdǎo , méiyǒu biérén fú qǐ tā lái . zhè rén jiù yǒu huò le .

11 Zaìzhĕ , èr rén tóng shuì , jiù dōu nuǎnhuo . yī rén dú shuì , zĕn néng nuǎnhuo ne .

12 Yǒu rén gōng shēng gū shēn yī rén , ruò yǒu èr rén biàn néng dídǎng tā . sān gǔ hé chéng de shéngzi , bùróng yì zhé duàn .

13 Pínqióng ér yǒu zhìhuì de shàonián rén , shēng guo nián lǎo bù kĕn nà jiàn de yúmeì wáng .

14 Zhè rén shì cóng jiān laó zhōng chūlai zuò wáng . zaì tā guó zhōng , shēng lái yuán shì pínqióng de .

15 Wǒ jiàn rì guāng zhī xià yīqiè xíngdòng de huó rén , dōu suícóng nà dì èr wèi , jiù shì qǐlai tì lǎo wáng de shàonián rén .

16 Tā suǒ zhìlǐ de zhòngrén , jiù shì tāde bǎixìng , duō dé wú shǔ . zaì tā hòulái de rén , shàngqiĕ bù xǐyuè tā . zhè shì xū kōng , yĕ shì bǔ fēng .

Chuándàoshū 4:4-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ECCLESIASTES 4

In this chapter the wise man reassumes the consideration of the case of the abuse of power, to show that there is no happiness in this world, in grandeur and authority enjoyed; since, as he had observed before, on the one hand, the oppressor shall be judged and condemned at the great day of account; so, on the other hand, the oppressed have their lives made so uncomfortable, that the dead are preferred unto them, and unborn persons to them both, Ec 4:1-3; Another vanity he observes, that whereas men expect to be happy by their diligence and industry, this brings upon them the envy of others, Ec 4:4; hence some, on the other hand, place their happiness in sloth and ease, which is another vanity, Ec 4:5,6; and others again in covetousness; who are described by their unsocial life, toilsome labour, unsatisfied desires, and withholding good things from themselves, Ec 4:7,8; upon which some things are said, to show the benefits of a social life, Ec 4:9-12. And the chapter is concluded with exposing the vanity of the highest instance of worldly power and grandeur, royal dignity, through the folly of a king; the effects of which are mentioned, Ec 4:13,14; and through the fickleness of the people, who are soon weary of a prince on the throne, and court his successor, Ec 4:15,16.