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 betere than preciouse oynementis; and the dai of deth is betere than the dai of birthe.
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 betere to go to the hous of morenyng, than to the hous of a feeste; for in that hous `of morenyng the ende of alle men is monestid, and a man lyuynge thenkith, what is to comynge.
3 忧愁强如喜笑； 因为面带愁容，终必使心喜乐。
Yre is betere than leiyyng; for the soule of a trespassour is amendid bi the heuynesse of cheer.
4 智慧人的心在遭丧之家； 愚昧人的心在快乐之家。
The herte of wise men is where sorewe is; and the herte of foolis is where gladnesse is.
5 听智慧人的责备， 强如听愚昧人的歌唱。
It is betere to be repreued of a wijs man, than to be disseyued bi the flateryng of foolis;
6 愚昧人的笑声， 好像锅下烧荆棘的爆声； 这也是虚空。
for as the sown of thornes brennynge vndur a pot, so is the leiyyng of a fool. But also this is vanyte.
7 勒索使智慧人变为愚妄； 贿赂能败坏人的慧心。
Fals chalenge disturblith a wijs man, and it schal leese the strengthe of his herte.
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。
Forsothe the ende of preyer is betere than the bigynnyng. A pacient man is betere than a proud man.
9 你不要心里急躁恼怒， 因为恼怒存在愚昧人的怀中。
Be thou not swift to be wrooth; for ire restith in the bosum of a fool.
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。
Seie thou not, What gessist thou is of cause, that the formere tymes weren betere than ben now? for whi siche axyng is fonned.
11 智慧和产业并好， 而且见天日的人得智慧更为有益。
Forsothe wisdom with richessis is more profitable, and profitith more to men seynge the sunne.
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 as wisdom defendith, so money defendith; but lernyng and wisdom hath this more, that tho yyuen lijf to `her weldere.
13 你要察看 神的作为； 因 神使为曲的，谁能变为直呢？
Biholde thou the werkis of God, that no man may amende hym, whom God hath dispisid.
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 a good day vse thou goodis, and bifore eschewe thou an yuel day; for God made so this dai as that dai, that a man fynde not iust playnyngis ayens hym.
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。
Also Y siy these thingis in the daies of my natyuyte; a iust man perischith in his riytfulnesse, and a wickid man lyueth myche tyme in his malice.
16 不要行义过分，也不要过于自逞智慧，何必自取败亡呢？
Nyle thou be iust myche, nether vndurstonde thou more than is nedeful; lest thou be astonyed.
17 不要行恶过分，也不要为人愚昧，何必不到期而死呢？
Do thou not wickidli myche, and nyle thou be a fool; lest thou die in a tyme not thin.
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 good, that thou susteyne a iust man; but also withdrawe thou not thin hond from hym; for he that dredith God, is not necligent of ony thing.
19 智慧使有智慧的人比城中十个官长更有能力。
Wisdom hath coumfortid a wise man, ouer ten pryncis of a citee.
20 时常行善而不犯罪的义人，世上实在没有。
Forsothe no iust man is in erthe, that doith good, and synneth not.
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。
But also yyue thou not thin herte to alle wordis, that ben seid; lest perauenture thou here thi seruaunt cursynge thee;
22 因为你心里知道，自己也曾屡次咒诅别人。
for thi conscience woot, that also thou hast cursid ofte othere men.
23 我曾用智慧试验这一切事；我说，要得智慧，智慧却离我远。
I asayede alle thingis in wisdom; Y seide, I schal be maad wijs, and it yede awei ferthere fro me, myche more than it was;
24 万事之理，离我甚远，而且最深，谁能测透呢？
and the depthe is hiy, who schal fynde it?
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 cumpasside alle thingis in my soule, to kunne, and biholde, and seke wisdom and resoun, and to knowe the wickidnesse of a fool, and the errour of vnprudent men.
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 Y foond a womman bitterere than deth, which is the snare of hunteris, and hir herte is a net, and hir hondis ben boondis; he that plesith God schal ascape hir, but he that is a synnere, schal be takun of hir.
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。
Lo! Y foond this, seide Ecclesiastes, oon and other, that Y schulde fynde resoun, which my soule sekith yit;
and Y foond not. I foond o man of a thousynde; Y foond not a womman of alle.
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。
I foond this oonli, that God made a man riytful; and he medlide hym silf with questiouns with out noumbre. Who is siche as a wijs man? and who knowith the expownyng of a word?
