傳道書 2
1 我心裏說：「來吧，我以喜樂試試你，你好享福！」誰知，這也是虛空。
I said in my heart, Come now, I will try thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure. But behold, this also is vanity.
2 我指嬉笑說：「這是狂妄。」論喜樂說：「有何功效呢？」
I said of laughter, Madness! and of mirth, What availeth it?
3 我心裏察究，如何用酒使我肉體舒暢，我心卻仍以智慧引導我；又如何持住愚昧，等我看明世人，在天下一生當行何事為美。
I searched in my heart how to cherish my flesh with wine, while practising my heart with wisdom; and how to lay hold on folly, till I should see what was that good for the children of men which they should do under the heavens all the days of their life.
4 我為自己動大工程，建造房屋，栽種葡萄園，
I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards;
5 修造園囿，在其中栽種各樣果木樹；
I made me gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of every kind of fruit;
6 挖造水池，用以澆灌嫩小的樹木。
I made me ponds of water, to water therewith the wood, where the trees are reared.
7 我買了僕婢，也有生在家中的僕婢；又有許多牛群羊群，勝過以前在耶路撒冷眾人所有的。
I acquired servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all that had been in Jerusalem before me.
8 我又為自己積蓄金銀和君王的財寶，並各省的財寶；又得唱歌的男女和世人所喜愛的物，並許多的妃嬪。
I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces; I got me men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the children of men, a wife and concubines.
9 這樣，我就日見昌盛，勝過以前在耶路撒冷的眾人。我的智慧仍然存留。
And I became great, and increased more than all that had been before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
10 凡我眼所求的，我沒有留下不給它的；我心所樂的，我沒有禁止不享受的；因我的心為我一切所勞碌的快樂，這就是我從勞碌中所得的分。
And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them: I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour, and this was my portion from all my labour.
11 後來，我察看我手所經營的一切事和我勞碌所成的功。誰知都是虛空，都是捕風；在日光之下毫無益處。
Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that it had cost me to do [them]; and behold, all was vanity and pursuit of the wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
12 我轉念觀看智慧、狂妄，和愚昧。在王以後而來的人還能做甚麼呢？也不過行早先所行的就是了。
And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly; for what shall the man [do] that cometh after the king? — that which hath already been done.
13 我便看出智慧勝過愚昧，如同光明勝過黑暗。
And I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as light excelleth darkness.
14 智慧人的眼目光明，愚昧人在黑暗裏行。我卻看明有一件事，這兩等人都必遇見。
The wise man's eyes are in his head, and the fool walketh in darkness; but I myself also perceived that one event happeneth to them all.
15 我就心裏說：「愚昧人所遇見的，我也必遇見，我為何更有智慧呢？」我心裏說，這也是虛空。
And I said in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool so will it happen even to me; and why was I then so wise? Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity.
16 智慧人和愚昧人一樣，永遠無人記念，因為日後都被忘記；可歎智慧人死亡，與愚昧人無異。
For there shall be no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; because everything is already forgotten in the days which come. And how dieth the wise even as the fool?
17 我所以恨惡生命；因為在日光之下所行的事我都以為煩惱，都是虛空，都是捕風。
And I hated life; for the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous unto me; for all is vanity and pursuit of the wind.
18 我恨惡一切的勞碌，就是我在日光之下的勞碌，因為我得來的必留給我以後的人。
And I hated all my labour wherewith I had been toiling under the sun, because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.
19 那人是智慧是愚昧，誰能知道？他竟要管理我勞碌所得的，就是我在日光之下用智慧所得的。這也是虛空。
And who knoweth whether he will be a wise [man] or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour at which I have laboured, and wherein I have been wise under the sun. This also is vanity.
20 故此，我轉想我在日光之下所勞碌的一切工作，心便絕望。
Then I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour wherewith I had laboured under the sun.
21 因為有人用智慧、知識、靈巧所勞碌得來的，卻要留給未曾勞碌的人為分。這也是虛空，也是大患。
For there is a man whose labour hath been with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skill, and who leaveth it to a man that hath not laboured therein, to be his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
22 人在日光之下勞碌累心，在他一切的勞碌上得着甚麼呢？
For what will man have of all his labour and of the striving of his heart, wherewith he hath wearied himself under the sun?
23 因為他日日憂慮，他的勞苦成為愁煩，連夜間心也不安。這也是虛空。
For all his days are sorrows, and his travail vexation: even in the night his heart taketh no rest. This also is vanity.
24 人莫強如吃喝，且在勞碌中享福，我看這也是出於上帝的手。
There is nothing good for man, but that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.
25 論到吃用、享福，誰能勝過我呢？
For who can eat, or who be eager, more than I?
26 上帝喜悅誰，就給誰智慧、知識，和喜樂；惟有罪人，上帝使他勞苦，叫他將所收聚的、所堆積的歸給上帝所喜悅的人。這也是虛空，也是捕風。
For he giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he giveth travail to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good in God's sight. This also is vanity and pursuit of the wind.
