传道书 8
1 谁如智慧人呢？ 谁知道事情的解释呢？ 人的智慧使他的脸发光， 并使他脸上的暴气改变。
Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.
2 我劝你遵守王的命令；既指 神起誓，理当如此。
I [counsel thee], Keep the king’s command, and that in regard of the oath of God.
3 不要急躁离开王的面前，不要固执行恶，因为他凡事都随自己的心意而行。
Be not hasty to go out of his presence; persist not in an evil thing: for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.
4 王的话本有权力，谁敢问他说“你做什么”呢？
Because the king’s word [hath] power; and who may say unto him, What doest thou?
5 凡遵守命令的，必不经历祸患；智慧人的心能辨明时候和定理。
Whoso keepeth the commandment shall know no evil thing; and a wise man’s heart discerneth time and judgment:
6 各样事务成就都有时候和定理，因为人的苦难重压在他身上。
for to every purpose there is a time and judgment; because the misery of man is great upon him:
7 他不知道将来的事，因为将来如何，谁能告诉他呢？
for he knoweth not that which shall be; for who can tell him how it shall be?
8 无人有权力掌管生命，将生命留住；也无人有权力掌管死期；这场争战，无人能免；邪恶也不能救那好行邪恶的人。
There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power over the day of death; and there is no discharge in [that] war: neither shall wickedness deliver him that is given to it.
9 这一切我都见过，也专心查考日光之下所做的一切事。有时这人管辖那人，令人受害。
All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: [there is] a time wherein one man hath power over another to his hurt.
10 我见恶人埋葬，归入坟墓；又见行正直事的离开圣地，在城中被人忘记。这也是虚空。
And withal I saw the wicked buried, and they came [to the grave]; and they that had done right went away from the holy place, and were forgotten in the city: this also is vanity.
11 因为断定罪名不立刻施刑，所以世人满心作恶。
Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
12 罪人虽然作恶百次，倒享长久的年日；然而我准知道，敬畏 神的，就是在他面前敬畏的人，终久必得福乐。
Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and prolong his [days], yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:
13 恶人却不得福乐，也不得长久的年日；这年日好像影儿，因他不敬畏 神。
but it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, [which are] as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.
14 世上有一件虚空的事，就是义人所遭遇的，反照恶人所行的；又有恶人所遭遇的，反照义人所行的。我说，这也是虚空。
There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be righteous men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity.
15 我就称赞快乐，原来人在日光之下，莫强如吃喝快乐；因为他在日光之下， 神赐他一生的年日，要从劳碌中，时常享受所得的。
Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him in his labour [all] the days of his life which God hath given him under the sun.
16 我专心求智慧，要看世上所做的事。（有昼夜不睡觉不合眼的。）
When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes: )
17 我就看明 神一切的作为，知道人查不出日光之下所做的事；任凭他费多少力寻查，都查不出来，就是智慧人虽想知道，也是查不出来。
then I beheld all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because however much a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea moreover, though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.
