傳道書 12

1 你趁着年幼、衰敗的日子尚未來到，就是你所說，我毫無喜樂的那些年日未曾臨近之先，當記念造你的主。

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the time of affliction arrives and the years draw near, about which you will say, “These do not please me.”

2 不要等到日頭、光明、月亮、星宿變為黑暗，雨後雲彩反回，

Before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain,

3 看守房屋的發顫，有力的屈身，推磨的稀少就止息，從窗戶往外看的都昏暗；

when the guardians of the house will tremble, and the strongest men will waver, and those who grind grain will be idle, except for a small number, and those who look through the keyholes will be darkened.

4 街門關閉，推磨的響聲微小，雀鳥一叫，人就起來，唱歌的女子也都衰微。

And they will close the doors to the street, when the voice of he who grinds the grain will be humbled, and they will be disturbed at the sound of a flying thing, and all the daughters of song shall become deaf.

5 人怕高處，路上有驚慌，杏樹開花，蚱蜢成為重擔，人所願的也都廢掉；因為人歸他永遠的家，弔喪的在街上往來。

Likewise, they will fear the things above them, and they will dread the way. The almond tree will flourish; the locust will be fattened; and the caper plant will be scattered, because man shall go into the house of his eternity, and the mourners shall wander around in the street.

6 銀鍊折斷，金罐破裂，瓶子在泉旁損壞，水輪在井口破爛，

Before the silver cord is broken, and the golden band pulls away, and the pitcher is crushed over the fountain, and the wheel is broken above the cistern,

7 塵土仍歸於地，靈仍歸於賜靈的上帝。

and the dust returns to its earth, from which it was, and the spirit returns to God, who granted it.

8 傳道者說：「虛空的虛空，凡事都是虛空。」

Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes, and all is vanity!

9 再者，傳道者因有智慧，仍將知識教訓眾人；又默想，又考查，又陳說許多箴言。

And since Ecclesiastes was very wise, he taught the people, and he described what he had accomplished. And while searching, he composed many parables.

10 傳道者專心尋求可喜悅的言語，是憑正直寫的誠實話。

He sought useful words, and he wrote most righteous words, which were full of truth.

11 智慧人的言語好像刺棍；會中之師的言語又像釘穩的釘子，都是一個牧者所賜的。

The words of the wise are like a goad, and like nails deeply fastened, which, through the counsel of teachers, are set forth by one pastor.

12 我兒，還有一層，你當受勸戒：著書多，沒有窮盡；讀書多，身體疲倦。

You should require no more than this, my son. For there is no end to the making of many books. And excessive study is an affliction to the flesh.

13 這些事都已聽見了，總意就是：敬畏上帝，謹守他的誡命，這是人所當盡的本分。

Let us all listen together to the end of the discourse. Fear God, and observe his commandments. This is everything for man.

14 因為人所做的事，連一切隱藏的事，無論是善是惡，上帝都必審問。

And so, for all that is done and for each error, God will bring judgment: whether it was good or evil.