< 傳道書 1 >

1 在耶路撒冷作王、大衛的兒子、傳道者的言語。
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king of Israel in Jerusalem.
2 傳道者說:虛空的虛空, 虛空的虛空,凡事都是虛空。
Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
3 人一切的勞碌, 就是他在日光之下的勞碌,有甚麼益處呢?
What advantage [is there] to a man in all his labour that he takes under the sun?
4 一代過去,一代又來, 地卻永遠長存。
A generation goes, and a generation comes: but the earth stands for ever.
5 日頭出來,日頭落下, 急歸所出之地。
And the sun arises, and the sun goes down and draws towards its place;
6 風往南颳,又向北轉, 不住地旋轉,而且返回轉行原道。
arising there it proceeds southward, and goes round towards the north. The wind goes round and round, and the wind returns to its circuits.
7 江河都往海裏流,海卻不滿; 江河從何處流,仍歸還何處。
All the rivers run into the sea; and yet the sea is not filled: to the place whence the rivers come, there they return again.
8 萬事令人厭煩, 人不能說盡。 眼看,看不飽; 耳聽,聽不足。
All things are full of labour; a man will not be able to speak [of them]: neither shall the eye be satisfied with seeing, neither shall the ear be filled with hearing.
9 已有的事後必再有; 已行的事後必再行。 日光之下並無新事。
What is that which has been? the very thing which shall be: and what is that which has been done? the very thing which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
10 豈有一件事人能指着說這是新的? 哪知,在我們以前的世代早已有了。
[Who is he] that shall speak and say, Behold, this is new? it has already been in the ages that have passed before us.
11 已過的世代,無人記念; 將來的世代,後來的人也不記念。
There is no memorial to the first things; neither to the things that have been last shall their memorial be with them that shall at the last [time].
12 我傳道者在耶路撒冷作過以色列的王。
I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 我專心用智慧尋求、查究天下所做的一切事,乃知上帝叫世人所經練的是極重的勞苦。
And I applied my heart to seek out and examine by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven, for God has given to the sons of men an evil trouble to be troubled therewith.
14 我見日光之下所做的一切事,都是虛空,都是捕風。
I saw all the works that were wrought under the sun; and, saw, all were vanity and waywardness of spirit.
15 彎曲的,不能變直; 缺少的,不能足數。
That which is crooked can’t be made straight: and deficiency can’t be numbered.
16 我心裏議論說:我得了大智慧,勝過我以前在耶路撒冷的眾人,而且我心中多經歷智慧和知識的事。
I spoke in my heart, saying, Behold, I am increased, and have acquired wisdom beyond all who were before me in Jerusalem: also I applied my heart to know wisdom and knowledge.
17 我又專心察明智慧、狂妄,和愚昧,乃知這也是捕風。
And my heart knew much—wisdom, and knowledge, parables and understanding: I perceived that this also is waywardness of spirit.
18 因為多有智慧,就多有愁煩; 加增知識的,就加增憂傷。
For in the abundance of wisdom is abundance of knowledge; and he that increases knowledge will increase sorrow.

< 傳道書 1 >