传道书 1
1 在耶路撒冷作王、大卫的儿子、传道者的言语。
The words of the Proclaimer, son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 传道者说：虚空的虚空， 虚空的虚空，凡事都是虚空。
Vanity of vanities! saith the Proclaimer, vanity of vanities! all, is vanity.
3 人一切的劳碌， 就是他在日光之下的劳碌，有什么益处呢？
What profit hath Man, in all his toil wherewith he toileth under the sun?
4 一代过去，一代又来， 地却永远长存。
Generation, goeth and, generation, cometh, but, the earth, unto times age-abiding, remaineth.
5 日头出来，日头落下， 急归所出之地。
And the sun, breaketh forth, and the sun, goeth in, —yea, unto his own place, he panteth, from whence he brake forth.
6 风往南刮，又向北转， 不住地旋转，而且返回转行原道。
Going unto the south, and circling unto the north, —circling, circling continually, is, the wind, and, over its own circuits, returneth the wind.
7 江河都往海里流，海却不满； 江河从何处流，仍归还何处。
All the streams, flow into the sea, yet, the sea, is not full, —unto the place whither the streams flow, thither, do they again flow.
8 万事令人厌烦， 人不能说尽。 眼看，看不饱； 耳听，听不足。
All words, are weak, unable is any man to tell, —not satisfied is the eye by seeing, nor filled is the ear with hearing.
9 已有的事后必再有； 已行的事后必再行。 日光之下并无新事。
That which hath been, is the same that shall be, and, that which hath been done, is the same that shall be done, —and there is, nothing new, under the sun.
10 岂有一件事人能指着说这是新的？ 哪知，在我们以前的世代早已有了。
Is there a thing, of which it can be said, See here, it is, new? Already, hath it been, for ages, [it is something] which was before us.
11 已过的世代，无人记念； 将来的世代，后来的人也不记念。
There is, no remembrance, of the thing before, —nor, even of the things after, which shall be, will there be any remembrance, with them who shall come after.
12 我传道者在耶路撒冷作过以色列的王。
I, the Proclaimer, was king over Israel, in Jerusalem.
13 我专心用智慧寻求、查究天下所做的一切事，乃知 神叫世人所经练的是极重的劳苦。
And I gave my heart to seek and to search out, wisely, concerning all things which are done under the heavens, —the same, is the vexatious employment God hath given to the sons of men, to work toilsomely therein,
14 我见日光之下所做的一切事，都是虚空，都是捕风。
I saw all the works which were done under the sun, —and lo! all, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.
15 弯曲的，不能变直； 缺少的，不能足数。
That which is crooked, cannot be straight, —and, that which is wanting, cannot be reckoned.
16 我心里议论说：我得了大智慧，胜过我以前在耶路撒冷的众人，而且我心中多经历智慧和知识的事。
Spake, I, in my heart, saying, As for me, lo! I have become great, and have gathered wisdom, beyond any one who hath been before me over Jerusalem, —and, my heart, hath seen much wisdom and knowledge:
17 我又专心察明智慧、狂妄，和愚昧，乃知这也是捕风。
yea I have given my heart, to know wisdom, and to know madness, and folly, —I know that, even this, is a feeding on wind.
18 因为多有智慧，就多有愁烦； 加增知识的，就加增忧伤。
For, in much wisdom, is much vexation, —and, he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth pain.
