传道书 12

1 你趁着年幼、衰败的日子尚未来到，就是你所说，我毫无喜乐的那些年日未曾临近之先，当记念造你的主。

And remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of evil come, and the years overtake [you] in which you shall say, I have no pleasure in them.

2 不要等到日头、光明、月亮、星宿变为黑暗，雨后云彩反回，

While the sun and light are not darkened, nor the moon and the stars; nor the clouds return after the rain:

3 看守房屋的发颤，有力的屈身，推磨的稀少就止息，从窗户往外看的都昏暗；

in the day wherein the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the mighty men shall become bent, and the grinding [women] cease because they have become few, and the [women] looking out at the windows be dark;

4 街门关闭，推磨的响声微小，雀鸟一叫，人就起来，唱歌的女子也都衰微。

and they shall shut the doors in the marketplace, because of the weakness of the voice of her that grinds [at the mill]; and he shall rise up at the voice of the sparrow, and all the daughters of song shall be brought low;

5 人怕高处，路上有惊慌，杏树开花，蚱蜢成为重担，人所愿的也都废掉；因为人归他永远的家，吊丧的在街上往来。

and they shall look up, and fears [shall be] in the way, and the almond tree shall blossom, and the locust shall increase, and the caper shall be scattered: because man has gone to his eternal home, and the mourners have gone about the market:

6 银链折断，金罐破裂，瓶子在泉旁损坏，水轮在井口破烂，

before the silver cord be [let go], or the choice gold be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel run down to the cistern;

7 尘土仍归于地，灵仍归于赐灵的 神。

[before] the dust also return to the earth as it was, and the spirit return to God who gave it.

8 传道者说：“虚空的虚空，凡事都是虚空。”

Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher; all is vanity.

9 再者，传道者因有智慧，仍将知识教训众人；又默想，又考查，又陈说许多箴言。

And because the Preacher was wise above [others, so it was] that he taught man excellent knowledge, and the ear will trace out the parables.

10 传道者专心寻求可喜悦的言语，是凭正直写的诚实话。

The Preacher sought diligently to find out acceptable words, and a correct writing, [even] words of truth.

11 智慧人的言语好像刺棍；会中之师的言语又像钉稳的钉子，都是一个牧者所赐的。

The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails firmly fastened, which have been given from one shepherd by agreement.

12 我儿，还有一层，你当受劝戒：著书多，没有穷尽；读书多，身体疲倦。

And moreover, my son, guard yourself by means of them: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

13 这些事都已听见了，总意就是：敬畏 神，谨守他的诫命，这是人所当尽的本分。

Hear the end of the matter, the sun: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole man.

14 因为人所做的事，连一切隐藏的事，无论是善是恶， 神都必审问。

For God will bring every work into judgment, with everything that has been overlooked, whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil.