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 Koheleth, the son of David, king 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, saith Koheleth; 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 profit hath man of all his labour wherein he laboureth under the sun?
4 一代過去，一代又來， 地卻永遠長存。
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; and the earth abideth for ever.
5 日頭出來，日頭落下， 急歸所出之地。
The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he ariseth.
6 風往南颳，又向北轉， 不住地旋轉，而且返回轉行原道。
The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it turneth about continually in its circuit, and the wind returneth again 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, yet the sea is not full; unto the place whither the rivers go, thither they go 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 toil to weariness; man cannot utter it, the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear 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。
That which hath been is that which shall be, and that which hath been done is that which shall be done; and there is nothing new 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。
Is there a thing whereof it is said: 'See, this is new'? — it hath been already, in the ages which were 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 remembrance of them of former times; neither shall there be any remembrance of them of latter times that are to come, among those that shall come after.
12 我傳道者在耶路撒冷作過以色列的王。
I Koheleth have been 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 and to search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven; it is a sore task that God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.
14 我見日光之下所做的一切事，都是虛空，都是捕風。
I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.
15 彎曲的，不能變直； 缺少的，不能足數。
That which is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is wanting cannot 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 with my own heart, saying: 'Lo, I have gotten great wisdom, more also than all that were before me over Jerusalem'; yea, my heart hath had great experience of 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 I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly — I perceived that this also was a striving after wind.
18 因為多有智慧，就多有愁煩； 加增知識的，就加增憂傷。
For in much wisdom is much vexation; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
