Ecclesiastes 传道书04

4Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed- and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors- and they have no comforter.
2And I declared that the dead, who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive.
3But better than both is he who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.
4And I saw that all labor¹ and all achievement spring from man's envy of his neighbor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
5The fool folds his hands and ruins himself.
6Better one handful with tranquillity² than two handfuls with toil³ and chasing after the wind.
7Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:
8There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. "For whom am I toiling," he asked, "and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment⁴?" This too is meaningless- a miserable⁵ business!
9Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:
10If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!
11Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?
12Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands⁶ is not quickly broken.
13Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take warning.
14The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom.
15I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king's successor.
16There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

1 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

2 tranquillity   

n. 平静, 安静

参考例句：

• The phenomenon was so striking and disturbing that his philosophical tranquillity vanished. 这个令人惶惑不安的现象，扰乱了他的旷达宁静的心境。
• My value for domestic tranquillity should much exceed theirs. 我应该远比他们重视家庭的平静生活。

3 toil   

vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事

参考例句：

• The wealth comes from the toil of the masses.财富来自大众的辛勤劳动。
• Every single grain is the result of toil.每一粒粮食都来之不易。

4 enjoyment   

n.乐趣；享有；享用

参考例句：

• Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同，我们这次访问更加愉快了。
• After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话，这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。

5 miserable   

adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的

参考例句：

• It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他，这是可耻的。
• Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。

6 strands   

n.（线、绳、金属线、毛发等的）股( strand的名词复数 )；缕；海洋、湖或河的)岸；（观点、计划、故事等的）部份v.使滞留，使搁浅( strand的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Twist a length of rope from strands of hemp. 用几股麻搓成了一段绳子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She laced strands into a braid. 她把几股线编织成一根穗带。 来自《简明英汉词典》