我又轉念，見日光之下所行的一切欺壓。看哪，受欺壓的流淚，且無人安慰；欺壓他們的有勢力，也無人安慰他們。
Again I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them.
因此，我讚歎那早已死的死人，勝過那還活著的活人。
And I thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive.
並且我以為那未曾生的，就是未見過日光之下惡事的，比這兩等人更強。
But better than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.
我又見人為一切的勞碌和各樣靈巧的工作就被鄰舍嫉妒。這也是虛空，也是捕風。
Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man's envy of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
愚昧人抱著手，吃自己的肉。
The fool folds his hands and eats his own flesh.
滿了一把，得享安靜，強如滿了兩把，勞碌捕風。
Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.
我又轉念，見日光之下有一件虛空的事：
Again, I saw vanity under the sun:
有人孤單無二，無子無兄，竟勞碌不息，眼目也不以錢財為足。他說：「我勞勞碌碌，刻苦自己，不享福樂，到底是為誰呢？」這也是虛空，是極重的勞苦。
one person who has no other, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vanity and an unhappy business.
兩個人總比一個人好，因為二人勞碌同得美好的果效。
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.
若是跌倒，這人可以扶起他的同伴；若是孤身跌倒，沒有別人扶起他來，這人就有禍了。
For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!
再者，二人同睡就都暖和，一人獨睡怎能暖和呢？
Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?
有人攻勝孤身一人，若有二人便能敵擋他；三股合成的繩子不容易折斷。
And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him — a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
貧窮而有智慧的少年人勝過年老不肯納諫的愚昧王。
Better was a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how to take advice.
這人是從監牢中出來作王，在他國中，生來原是貧窮的。
For he went from prison to the throne, though in his own kingdom he had been born poor.
我見日光之下一切行動的活人都隨從那第二位，就是起來代替老王的少年人。
I saw all the living who move about under the sun, along with that youth who was to stand in the king's place.
他所治理的眾人就是他的百姓，多得無數；在他後來的人尚且不喜悅他。這真是虛空，也是捕風。
There was no end of all the people, all of whom he led. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.