< 傳道書 1 >
The wordes of the Preacher, the sonne of Dauid King in Ierusalem.
Vanitie of vanities, sayth the Preacher: vanitie of vanities, all is vanitie.
What remaineth vnto man in all his trauaile, which he suffereth vnder ye sunne?
One generation passeth, and another generation succeedeth: but the earth remaineth for euer.
The sunne riseth, and ye sunne goeth downe, and draweth to his place, where he riseth.
The winde goeth toward the South, and compasseth towarde the North: the winde goeth rounde about, and returneth by his circuites.
7 江河流入大海,大海總不滿溢;江河仍向所往之處,川流不息。
All the riuers goe into the sea, yet the sea is not full: for the riuers goe vnto ye place, whence they returne, and goe.
8 萬事皆辛勞,無人能盡言:眼看,看不夠;耳聽,聽不飽。
All things are full of labour: man cannot vtter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the eare filled with hearing.
9 往昔所有的,將來會再有;昔日所行的,將來會再行;太陽之下決無新事。
What is it that hath bene? that that shalbe: and what is it that hath bene done? that which shalbe done: and there is no newe thing vnder the sunne.
10 若有人指著某事說:「看,這是新事。」豈不知在我們以前早就有過。
Is there any thing, whereof one may say, Beholde this, it is newe? it hath bene already in the olde time that was before vs.
11 只是對往者,沒有人去追憶;同樣,對來者,也不會為後輩所記念。
There is no memorie of the former, neither shall there be a remembrance of the latter that shalbe, with them that shall come after.
I the Preacher haue bene King ouer Israel in Ierusalem:
13 我曾專心用智慧考查研究過天下所發生的一切;--這實在是天主賜與人類的一項艱辛的工作。
And I haue giuen mine heart to search and finde out wisdome by all things that are done vnder the heauen: (this sore trauaile hath GOD giuen to the sonnes of men, to humble them thereby)
14 我觀察了在太陽下所發生的一切:看,都是空虛,都是追風。
I haue considered all the workes that are done vnder the sunne, and beholde, all is vanitie, and vexation of the spirit.
15 彎曲的,不能使之正直,虧缺的,實在不可勝數。
That which is crooked, can none make straight: and that which faileth, cannot be nombred.
16 我心裏自語說:「看,我獲得了又大又多的智慧,勝過了所有在我以前住在耶路撒冷的人,我的心獲得了許多智慧和學問。」
I thought in mine heart, and said, Behold, I am become great, and excell in wisdome all them that haue bene before me in Ierusalem: and mine heart hath seene much wisedome and knowledge.
17 我再專心研究智慧和學問,愚昧和狂妄,我纔發覺:連這項工作也是追風。
And I gaue mine heart to knowe wisdome and knowledge, madnes and foolishnes: I knew also that this is a vexation of the spirit.
18 因為,智慧愈多,煩惱愈多;學問越廣,憂慮越深。
For in the multitude of wisedome is much griefe: and he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorowe.