傳道書 2
1 我心下自語：「來，試一試快樂，享受一下福樂! 」看，這也是空虛。
So then I thought to myself, “Alright, let me examine pleasure and see how good that is.” But this too turned out to be something temporary that passes.
2 我稱歡笑為「瘋狂，」我對喜樂說：「這有何用﹖」
I conclude that laughing your way through life is stupid, and pleasure—what use is that?
3 我遂決意喝酒以使我的肉身暢快，－－但我的心仍為智慧所引導，並決意迷於狂妄的事，直到我看清，世人在天下一生有限的歲月中所做的事，有什麼好處為止。
Then I used my mind to examine the attraction of wine to my body. My mind still guiding me with wisdom, I took it until I acted like a fool, so that I might see whether this was good for people to do during their time here.
4 我於是擴大我的工程：為自己建造宮室，栽植葡萄園，
Then I tried great construction projects. I built houses for myself; I planted vineyards for myself.
5 開闢園囿，在其中栽植各種果樹，
I made for myself gardens and parks, planting them with all kinds of fruit trees.
6 挖掘水池，以澆灌在生長中的樹木。
I constructed for myself reservoirs to water all these growing trees.
7 買了奴婢，還有在家中出世的僮僕，又有許多牛羊，多過我以前住在耶路撒冷的人。
I bought male and female slaves, and their children also belonged to me. I also owned many herds and flocks, more than anyone in Jerusalem before me.
8 我還聚斂了大批金銀，及各王候各省份的財寶；擁有許多歌唱的男女，無數的嬪妃，以及人間所有的享受。
I collected for myself great quantities of silver and gold, paid to me as tribute by kings and provinces. I brought in for myself male and female singers, and enjoyed many concubines—all a man could want!
9 我雖如此富有，超過以往住在耶路撒冷的人，但我仍沒有喪失智慧。
I became great—greater than anyone in Jerusalem before me. All the while my wisdom stayed with me.
10 凡我眼所希求的，我決不加以拒絕；凡我心所願享受的快樂，我決不加以阻止；因為我的心對我的一切勞苦工作，實在滿意；其實，這也是我由勞苦工作應得的報酬。
I didn't stop myself trying anything I wanted. Whatever I felt like enjoying, I did. I even enjoyed everything I had accomplished, a reward for all my work.
11 但當我回顧我所作的一切工作，以及工作時所受的勞苦，看，一切都是空虛，都是追風；在太陽之下，毫無裨益。
But when I thought about what I had worked so hard to achieve, everything I'd done, it was so short-lived—as significant as someone trying to catch the wind. There really is no enduring benefit here on earth.
12 我又回顧觀察智慧、瘋狂和昏愚；那繼位作君王的人能做什麼﹖只能做已做過的事。
So I started to think about wisdom—and madness and foolishness. For what can anyone who comes after the king do that hasn't already been done?
13 我看透智慧勝於昏愚，像光明勝於黑暗。「
I recognized that wisdom is better than foolishness just as light is better than darkness.
14 智者高瞻遠矚，愚者卻在黑暗中摸索。」但我也知道：二者都要遭遇同樣的命運。
The wise see where they're going, but fools walk in darkness. But I also realized that they all come to the same end.
15 我心中自問：「愚人的命運，我也會遇到，為什麼我要更明智﹖」我遂下結論說：「這也是空虛。」
Then I thought to myself, “If I'm going to end up the same as a fool, what's the point of being so wise?” So I thought to myself, “This is also hard to understand!”
16 因為智者和愚者，同樣不為人常久記念，早晚有一天都要被人遺忘。可惜，智者和愚者同樣死去!
Nobody remembers the wise or the fool for very long—in the future everything will be forgotten. Whether wise or foolish, they both die.
17 於是我惱恨生命，因為太陽之下所發生的事，無非使我煩惱，因為全是空虛，都是追風。
So I ended up feeling disgusted with life because everything that happens here on earth is so distressing. It's so incomprehensible, like trying to control the wind.
18 我憎恨我在太陽下所受的勞苦，因為我要將勞苦所得，留給我的後人。
I even ended up hating what I had achieved here on earth because I have to hand it over to whoever comes after me.
19 他是智是愚，有誰知道；但他一定要主管我在太陽下，以智慧所辛苦經營的一切工作：這也是空虛。
And who knows whether he will be wise or foolish? Yet he will rule over everything I accomplished through my wisdom here on earth. This is just so frustrating, so hard to understand!
20 我回顧我在太陽下所受的一切勞苦，就灰心失望。
I decided to give up, my mind in despair over the significance of all my life's achievements.
21 因為有人以智慧、學問和才幹勞作得來的，卻應留給那未曾勞作的人，作為產業：這也是空虛和大不幸。
For you can work wisely, knowledgably, and with skill—and who benefits? Someone who hasn't worked for it! This is both frustrating and totally unjust!
22 人在太陽下所受的一切勞苦，以及痛心的事，究竟有什麼裨益﹖
What do you get here on earth for all your hard work and worry?
23 其實，人天天所有的事務，無非是悲苦和煩惱；而且夜裏，心也得不到安息：這也是空虛。
Your working life is full of trouble and strife—even at night your thoughts keep you awake. This is tough to comprehend!
24 人除了吃喝和享受自己勞作之所得以外，別無更好的事。我也看透了：這是從天主手裏來的。
So what's the best thing to do? Eat, drink, and enjoy your work, recognizing as I did that these things are given to us by God,
25 因為離了天主，誰能有吃的，誰能有所享受﹖
for who can eat or enjoy life apart from him?
26 天主原把智慧、學問和歡樂，賜給他所喜愛的人。至於罪人，天主將積蓄貯藏財物的勞苦加於他身上，好將一切財物留給天主所喜愛的人：這也是空虛，也是追風。
To those who are good, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy. But to the sinner God gives the task of gathering and collecting wealth, only to hand it over to someone who pleases God. This also shows how fleeting life is, and hard to understand—like trying to understand how the wind blows.
