传道书 1
1 在耶路撒冷作王、大卫的儿子、传道者的言语。
The wordis of Ecclesiastes, sone of Dauid, the kyng of Jerusalem.
2 传道者说：虚空的虚空， 虚空的虚空，凡事都是虚空。
The vanyte of vanytees, seide Ecclesiastes; the vanyte of vanytees, and alle thingis ben vanite.
3 人一切的劳碌， 就是他在日光之下的劳碌，有什么益处呢？
What hath a man more of alle his trauel, bi which he traueilith vndur the sunne?
4 一代过去，一代又来， 地却永远长存。
Generacioun passith awei, and generacioun cometh; but the erthe stondith with outen ende.
5 日头出来，日头落下， 急归所出之地。
The sunne risith, and goith doun, and turneth ayen to his place;
6 风往南刮，又向北转， 不住地旋转，而且返回转行原道。
and there it risith ayen, and cumpassith bi the south, and turneth ayen to the north. The spirit cumpassynge alle thingis goith `in cumpas, and turneth ayen in to hise cerclis.
7 江河都往海里流，海却不满； 江河从何处流，仍归还何处。
Alle floodis entren in to the see, and the see fletith not ouer the markis set of God; the floodis turnen ayen to the place fro whennus tho comen forth, that tho flowe eft.
8 万事令人厌烦， 人不能说尽。 眼看，看不饱； 耳听，听不足。
Alle thingis ben hard; a man may not declare tho thingis bi word; the iye is not fillid bi siyt, nether the eere is fillid bi hering.
9 已有的事后必再有； 已行的事后必再行。 日光之下并无新事。
What is that thing that was, that that schal come? What is that thing that is maad, that that schal be maad?
10 岂有一件事人能指着说这是新的？ 哪知，在我们以前的世代早已有了。
No thing vndir the sunne is newe, nether ony man may seie, Lo! this thing is newe; for now it yede bifore in worldis, that weren bifore vs.
11 已过的世代，无人记念； 将来的世代，后来的人也不记念。
Mynde of the formere thingis is not, but sotheli nether thenkyng of tho thingis, that schulen come afterward, schal be at hem that schulen come in the last tyme.
12 我传道者在耶路撒冷作过以色列的王。
I Ecclesiastes was king of Israel in Jerusalem;
13 我专心用智慧寻求、查究天下所做的一切事，乃知 神叫世人所经练的是极重的劳苦。
and Y purposide in my soule to seke and enserche wiseli of alle thingis, that ben maad vndur the sunne. God yaf this werste ocupacioun to the sones of men, that thei schulden be ocupied therynne.
14 我见日光之下所做的一切事，都是虚空，都是捕风。
I siy alle thingis that ben maad vndur the sunne, and lo! alle thingis ben vanyte and turment of spirit.
15 弯曲的，不能变直； 缺少的，不能足数。
Weiward men ben amendid of hard; and the noumbre of foolis is greet with outen ende.
16 我心里议论说：我得了大智慧，胜过我以前在耶路撒冷的众人，而且我心中多经历智慧和知识的事。
I spak in myn herte, and Y seide, Lo! Y am made greet, and Y passide in wisdom alle men, that weren bifore me in Jerusalem; and my soule siy many thingis wiseli, and Y lernede.
17 我又专心察明智慧、狂妄，和愚昧，乃知这也是捕风。
And Y yaf myn herte, that Y schulde knowe prudence and doctryn, and errours and foli. And Y knew that in these thingis also was trauel and turment of spirit;
18 因为多有智慧，就多有愁烦； 加增知识的，就加增忧伤。
for in myche wisdom is myche indignacioun, and he that encressith kunnyng, encreessith also trauel.
