传道书 9
1 我将这一切事放在心上，详细考究，就知道义人和智慧人，并他们的作为都在 神手中；或是爱，或是恨，都在他们的前面，人不能知道。
For I thought about all this in my mind to understand about the righteous and wise people and their deeds. They are all in God's hands. No one knows whether love or hate will come to someone.
2 凡临到众人的事都是一样：义人和恶人都遭遇一样的事；好人，洁净人和不洁净人，献祭的与不献祭的，也是一样。好人如何，罪人也如何；起誓的如何，怕起誓的也如何。
Everyone has the same fate. The same fate awaits righteous people and wicked, the good, the clean and the unclean, and the one who sacrifices and the one who does not sacrifice. As good people will die, so also will the sinner. As the one who swears will die, so also will the man who fears to make an oath.
3 在日光之下所行的一切事上有一件祸患，就是众人所遭遇的都是一样，并且世人的心充满了恶；活着的时候心里狂妄，后来就归死人那里去了。
There is an evil fate for everything that is done under the sun, the same event happens to them all. The hearts of human beings are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live. So after that they go to the dead.
4 与一切活人相连的，那人还有指望，因为活着的狗比死了的狮子更强。
For anyone who is united to all the living, there is hope, just as a living dog is better than a dead lion.
5 活着的人知道必死；死了的人毫无所知，也不再得赏赐；他们的名无人记念。
For living people know they will die, but the dead do not know anything. They no longer have any reward because their memory is forgotten.
6 他们的爱，他们的恨，他们的嫉妒，早都消灭了。在日光之下所行的一切事上，他们永不再有分了。
Their love, hatred, and envy have vanished long ago. They will never have a place again in anything done under the sun.
7 你只管去欢欢喜喜吃你的饭，心中快乐喝你的酒，因为 神已经悦纳你的作为。
Go your way, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of celebrating good works.
8 你的衣服当时常洁白，你头上也不要缺少膏油。
Let your clothes be always white and your head anointed with oil.
9 在你一生虚空的年日，就是 神赐你在日光之下虚空的年日，当同你所爱的妻，快活度日，因为那是你生前在日光之下劳碌的事上所得的分。
Live happily with the wife whom you love all the days of your life of uselessness, the days that God has given you under the sun during your days of uselessness. That is your reward in life for your work under the sun.
Whatever your hand finds to do, work at it with your strength, because there is no work or explanation or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, where you are going. (Sheol h7585)
11 我又转念：见日光之下，快跑的未必能赢；力战的未必得胜；智慧的未必得粮食；明哲的未必得资财；灵巧的未必得喜悦。所临到众人的是在乎当时的机会。
I have seen some interesting things under the sun: The race does not belong to swift people. The battle does not belong to strong people. Bread does not belong to wise people. Riches do not belong to people of understanding. Favor does not belong to people of knowledge. Instead, time and chance affect them all.
12 原来人也不知道自己的定期。鱼被恶网圈住，鸟被网罗捉住，祸患忽然临到的时候，世人陷在其中也是如此。
Surely, no one knows when his time will come. As fish are caught in a deadly net, or birds are caught in a snare, the children of human beings are ensnared by evil times that suddenly fall upon them.
13 我见日光之下有一样智慧，据我看乃是广大，
I have also seen wisdom under the sun in a way that seemed great to me.
14 就是有一小城，其中的人数稀少，有大君王来攻击，修筑营垒，将城围困。
There was a small city with only a few men in it, and a great king came against it and besieged it and built great siege ramps against it.
15 城中有一个贫穷的智慧人，他用智慧救了那城，却没有人记念那穷人。
Now in the city was found a poor, wise man, who by his wisdom saved the city. Yet later, no one remembered that same poor man.
16 我就说，智慧胜过勇力；然而那贫穷人的智慧被人藐视，他的话也无人听从。
So I concluded, “Wisdom is better than strength, but the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.”
17 宁可在安静之中听智慧人的言语，不听掌管愚昧人的喊声。
The words of wise people spoken quietly are heard better than the shouts of any ruler among fools.
18 智慧胜过打仗的兵器；但一个罪人能败坏许多善事。
Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner can ruin much good.
