传道书 1
1 在耶路撒冷作王、大卫的儿子、传道者的言语。
Words of a preacher, 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, said the Preacher, Vanity of vanities: the whole [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 advantage [is] to man by all his labour that he laboureth at under the sun?
4 一代过去，一代又来， 地却永远长存。
A generation is going, and a generation is coming, and the earth to the age is standing.
5 日头出来，日头落下， 急归所出之地。
Also, the sun hath risen, and the sun hath gone in, and unto its place panting it is rising there.
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 turning round unto the north, turning round, turning round, the wind is going, and by its circuits the wind hath returned.
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 are going unto the sea, and the sea is not full; unto a place whither the streams are going, thither they are turning back to go.
8 万事令人厌烦， 人不能说尽。 眼看，看不饱； 耳听，听不足。
All these things are wearying; a man is not able to speak, the eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor filled is the ear from 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。
What [is] that which hath been? it [is] that which is, and what [is] that which hath been done? it [is] that which is done, and there is not an entirely new thing 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。
There is a thing of which [one] saith: 'See this, it [is] new!' already it hath been in the ages that were 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 not a remembrance of former [generations]; and also of the latter that are, there is no remembrance of them with those that are at the last.
12 我传道者在耶路撒冷作过以色列的王。
I, a preacher, have been 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 have given my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that hath been done under the heavens. It [is] a sad travail God hath given to the sons of man to be humbled by it.
14 我见日光之下所做的一切事，都是虚空，都是捕风。
I have seen all the works that have been done under the sun, and lo, the whole [is] vanity and vexation of spirit!
15 弯曲的，不能变直； 缺少的，不能足数。
A crooked thing [one] is not able to make straight, and a lacking thing is not able to be numbered.
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。
I — I spake with my heart, saying, 'I, lo, I have magnified and added wisdom above every one who hath been before me at Jerusalem, and my heart hath seen abundantly wisdom and knowledge.
17 我又专心察明智慧、狂妄，和愚昧，乃知这也是捕风。
And I give my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I have known that even this [is] vexation of spirit;
18 因为多有智慧，就多有愁烦； 加增知识的，就加增忧伤。
for, in abundance of wisdom [is] abundance of sadness, and he who addeth knowledge addeth pain.'
