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。
I said in my heart, "Come now, I will test you with mirth: therefore enjoy pleasure;" and look, this also was vanity.
2 我稱歡笑為「瘋狂，」我對喜樂說：「這有何用﹖」
I said of laughter, "It is foolishness;" and of mirth, "What does it accomplish?"
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。
I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding me with wisdom, and how to lay hold of folly, until I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their lives.
4 我於是擴大我的工程：為自己建造宮室，栽植葡萄園，
I made myself great works. I built myself houses. I planted myself vineyards.
5 開闢園囿，在其中栽植各種果樹，
I made myself gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit.
6 挖掘水池，以澆灌在生長中的樹木。
I made myself pools of water, to water from it the forest where trees were reared.
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 servants and female servants, and had servants born in my house. I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all who were before me in Jerusalem;
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 also gathered silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces. I got myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men—musical instruments, and that of all sorts.
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。
So I was great, and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also remained 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。
Whatever my eyes desired, I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor.
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。
Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and look, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
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。
I turned myself to consider wisdom, madness, and folly. For what can the man who comes after the king do? Just that which he has already done.
13 我看透智慧勝於昏愚，像光明勝於黑暗。「
Then I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels 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 man's eyes are in his head, and the fool walks in darkness—and yet I perceived that one event happens to them all.
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 said I in my heart, "As it happens to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise?" Then said I in my heart that this also is vanity.
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!
For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no memory for ever, seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. Indeed, the wise man must die just like the fool.
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 hated life, because the work that is worked under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a chasing after 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 hated all my labor in which I labored under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who 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。
Who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all of my labor in which I have labored, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.
20 我回顧我在太陽下所受的一切勞苦，就灰心失望。
Therefore I began to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor in which I had labored under the sun.
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 there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.
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﹖
For what has a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart, in which he labors under the sun?
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。
For all his days are sorrows, and his travail is grief; yes, even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.
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。
There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.
25 因為離了天主，誰能有吃的，誰能有所享受﹖
For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, 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。
For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
