傳道書 6

1 我看見在太陽下，另有一種不幸，重壓在人身上：

There is another evil I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily upon mankind:

2 有一人，天主賜他富裕、錢財、光榮；凡他心中所願意的，一件也不缺；但天主沒有讓他享用這一切，卻讓外人享用了：這也是空虛，是一件很悲慘的事。

God gives a man riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires; but God does not allow him to enjoy them. Instead, a stranger will enjoy them. This is futile and a grievous affliction.

3 有一人生有百子，活了很大歲數，他年紀雖高，卻沒有隨心享受福樂，且未得安葬，照我看來，他還不如流產的胎兒。

A man may father a hundred children and live for many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he is unsatisfied with his prosperity and does not even receive a proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.

4 流產的胎兒徒然而來，悄然而去，他的名字也湮沒無聞；

For a stillborn child enters in futility and departs in darkness, and his name is shrouded in obscurity.

5 他沒有見過天日，也沒有任何知覺，但他總比那人更享安寧。

The child, though neither seeing the sun nor knowing anything, has more rest than that man,

6 那人即便活了兩千歲，如未享受福樂，他們二人豈不是同歸一處﹖

even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?

7 人的一切勞碌都是為了口腹，但他的慾望卻總不知滿足。

All a man’s labor is for his mouth, yet his appetite is never satisfied.

8 智者較愚者究有什麼利益﹖知道如何與人往來的窮人，能得什麼好處﹖

What advantage, then, has the wise man over the fool? What gain comes to the poor man who knows how to conduct himself before others?

9 眼看見過的總勝過心所想望的：這也是空虛，也是追風。

Better what the eye can see than the wandering of desire. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

10 已往所有的，都已有名可稱；人為何物，都已知道；人決不能與強於自己的抗辯。

Whatever exists was named long ago, and what happens to a man is foreknown; but he cannot contend with one stronger than he.

11 說話多，必多空談：這對人能有什麼益處﹖

For the more words, the more futility—and how does that profit anyone?

12 在空虛，消逝如影的人生少數歲月內，有誰知道什麼事對人有益﹖又有誰能指給人指示，他身後在太陽下要發生什麼事﹖

For who knows what is good for a man during the few days in which he passes through his fleeting life like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will come after him under the sun?