Ecclesiastes

名譽強如美好的的膏油；人死的日子勝過人生的日子。

A good name {is} better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.

往遭喪的家去，強如往宴樂的家去；因為死是眾人的結局，活人也必將這事放在心上。

{It is} better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that {is} the end of all men; and the living will lay {it} to his heart.

憂愁強如喜笑；因為面帶愁容，終必使心喜樂。

Sorrow {is} better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. {Sorrow: or, Anger}

智慧人的心在遭喪之家；愚昧人的心在快樂之家。

The heart of the wise {is} in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools {is} in the house of mirth.

聽智慧人的責備，強如聽愚昧人的歌唱。

{It is} better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

愚昧人的笑聲，好像鍋下燒荊棘的爆聲；這也是虛空。

For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so {is} the laughter of the fool: this also {is} vanity. {crackling: Heb. sound}

勒索使智慧人變為愚妄；賄賂能敗壞人的慧心。

Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.

事情的終局強如事情的起頭；存心忍耐的，勝過居心驕傲的。

Better {is} the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: {and} the patient in spirit {is} better than the proud in spirit.

你不要心裡急躁惱怒，因為惱怒存在愚昧人的懷中。

Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

不要說：先前的日子強過如今的日子，是甚麼緣故呢？你這樣問，不是出於智慧。

Say not thou, What is {the cause} that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this. {wisely: Heb. out of wisdom}

智慧和產業並好，而且見天日的人得智慧更為有益。

Wisdom {is} good with an inheritance: and {by it there is} profit to them that see the sun. {good...: or, as good as an inheritance, yea, better too}

因為智慧護庇人，好像銀錢護庇人一樣。惟獨智慧能保全智慧人的生命。這就是知識的益處。

For wisdom {is} a defence, {and} money {is} a defence: but the excellency of knowledge {is, that} wisdom giveth life to them that have it. {defence: Heb. shadow}

你要察看神的作為；因神使為曲的，誰能變為直呢？

Consider the work of God: for who can make {that} straight, which he hath made crooked?

遇亨通的日子你當喜樂；遭患難的日子你當思想；因為神使這兩樣並列，為的是叫人查不出身後有甚麼事。

In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him. {set: Heb. made}

有義人行義，反致滅亡；有惡人行惡，倒享長壽。這都是我在虛度之日中所見過的。

All {things} have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just {man} that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked {man} that prolongeth {his life} in his wickedness.

不要行義過分，也不要過於自逞智慧，何必自取敗亡呢？

Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself? {destroy...: Heb. be desolate?}

不要行惡過分，也不要為人愚昧，何必不到期而死呢？

Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? {before...: Heb. not in thy time?}

你持守這個為美，那個也不要鬆手；因為敬畏神的人，必從這兩樣出來。

{It is} good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.

智慧使有智慧的人比城中十個官長更有能力。

Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty {men} which are in the city.

時常行善而不犯罪的義人，世上實在沒有。

For {there is} not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

人所說的一切話，你不要放在心上，恐怕聽見你的僕人咒詛你。

Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee: {take...: Heb. give not thine heart}

因為你心裡知道，自己也曾屢次咒詛別人。

For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.

我曾用智慧試驗這一切事；我說，要得智慧，智慧卻離我遠。

All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it {was} far from me.

萬事之理，離我甚遠，而且最深，誰能測透呢？

That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?

我轉念，一心要知道，要考察，要尋求智慧和萬事的理由；又要知道邪惡為愚昧，愚昧為狂妄。

I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason {of things}, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness {and} madness: {I applied...: Heb. I and mine heart compassed}

我得知有等婦人比死還苦：他的心是網羅，手是鎖鍊。凡蒙神喜悅的人必能躲避他；有罪的人卻被他纏住了。

And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart {is} snares and nets, {and} her hands {as} bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her. {whoso...: Heb. he that is good before God}

傳道者說：看哪，一千男子中，我找到一個正直人，但眾女子中，沒有找到一個。我將這事一一比較，要尋求其理，我心仍要尋找，卻未曾找到。

Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, {counting} one by one, to find out the account: {counting...: or, weighing one thing after another, to find out the reason}

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Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.

我所找到的只有一件，就是神造人原是正直，但他們尋出許多巧計。

Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.