传道书 7
1 名誉强如美好的膏油；人死的日子胜过人生的日子。
A good name is better than good oil; and the day of death than the day of birth.
2 往遭丧的家去， 强如往宴乐的家去； 因为死是众人的结局， 活人也必将这事放在心上。
[It is] better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the banquet house: since this is the end of every man; and the living man will apply good [warning] to his heart.
3 忧愁强如喜笑； 因为面带愁容，终必使心喜乐。
Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart will be made better.
4 智慧人的心在遭丧之家； 愚昧人的心在快乐之家。
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5 听智慧人的责备， 强如听愚昧人的歌唱。
[It is] better to hear a reproof of a wise man, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6 愚昧人的笑声， 好像锅下烧荆棘的爆声； 这也是虚空。
As the sound of thorns under a cauldron, so is the laughter of fools: this is also vanity.
7 勒索使智慧人变为愚妄； 贿赂能败坏人的慧心。
for oppression makes a wise man mad, and destroys his noble heart.
8 事情的终局强如事情的起头； 存心忍耐的，胜过居心骄傲的。
The end of a matter is better than the beginning thereof: the patient is better than the high-minded.
9 你不要心里急躁恼怒， 因为恼怒存在愚昧人的怀中。
Be not hasty in your spirit to be angry: for anger will rest in the bosom of fools.
10 不要说： 先前的日子强过如今的日子， 是什么缘故呢？ 你这样问，不是出于智慧。
Say not, What has happened, that the former days were better than these? for you do not enquire in wisdom concerning this.
11 智慧和产业并好， 而且见天日的人得智慧更为有益。
Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and [there is] an advantage [by it] to them that see the sun.
12 因为智慧护庇人， 好像银钱护庇人一样。 惟独智慧能保全智慧人的生命。 这就是知识的益处。
For wisdom in its shadow is as the shadow of silver: and the excellence of the knowledge of wisdom will give life to him that has it.
13 你要察看 神的作为； 因 神使为曲的，谁能变为直呢？
Behold the works of God: for who shall be able to straighten him whom God has made crooked?
14 遇亨通的日子你当喜乐；遭患难的日子你当思想；因为 神使这两样并列，为的是叫人查不出身后有什么事。
In the day of prosperity live joyfully, and consider in the day of adversity: consider, [I say], God also has caused the one to agree with the other for [this] reason, that man should find nothing after him.
15 有义人行义，反致灭亡；有恶人行恶，倒享长寿。这都是我在虚度之日中所见过的。
I have seen all things in the days of my vanity: there is a just man perishing in his justice, and there is an ungodly man remaining in his wickedness.
16 不要行义过分，也不要过于自逞智慧，何必自取败亡呢？
Be not very just; neither be very wise: lest you be confounded.
17 不要行恶过分，也不要为人愚昧，何必不到期而死呢？
Be not very wicked; and be not stubborn: lest you should die before your time.
18 你持守这个为美，那个也不要松手；因为敬畏 神的人，必从这两样出来。
It is well for you to hold fast by this; also by this defile not your hand: for to them that fear God all things shall come forth [well].
19 智慧使有智慧的人比城中十个官长更有能力。
Wisdom will help the wise man more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
20 时常行善而不犯罪的义人，世上实在没有。
For there is not a righteous man in the earth, who will do good, and not sin
21 人所说的一切话，你不要放在心上，恐怕听见你的仆人咒诅你。
Also take no heed to all the words which ungodly men shall speak; lest you hear your servant cursing you.
22 因为你心里知道，自己也曾屡次咒诅别人。
For many times he shall trespass against you, and repeatedly shall he afflict your heart; for thus also have you cursed others.
23 我曾用智慧试验这一切事；我说，要得智慧，智慧却离我远。
All these things have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
24 万事之理，离我甚远，而且最深，谁能测透呢？
[That which is] far beyond what was, and a great depth, who shall find it out?
25 我转念，一心要知道，要考察，要寻求智慧和万事的理由；又要知道邪恶为愚昧，愚昧为狂妄。
I and my heart went round about to know, and to examine, and to seek wisdom, and the account [of things], and to know the folly and trouble and madness of the ungodly man.
26 我得知有等妇人比死还苦：她的心是网罗，手是锁链。凡蒙 神喜悦的人必能躲避她；有罪的人却被她缠住了。
And I find her [to be], and I will pronounce [to be] more bitter than death the woman which is a snare, and her heart nets, [who has] a band in her hands: [he that is] good in the sight of God shall be delivered from her; but the sinner shall be caught by her.
27 传道者说：“看哪，一千男子中，我找到一个正直人，但众女子中，没有找到一个。”我将这事一一比较，要寻求其理，我心仍要寻找，却未曾找到。
Behold, this have I found, said the Preacher, [seeking] by one at a time to find out the account,
which my soul sought after, but I found not: for I have found one man of a thousand; but a woman in all these I have not found.
29 我所找到的只有一件，就是 神造人原是正直，但他们寻出许多巧计。
But, behold, this have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many devices.
