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。
Come, then, I said in my heart, I will have a taste of joy, and thou shalt see what is good; but, behold, this also was vanity.
2 我指嬉笑說：「這是狂妄。」論喜樂說：「有何功效呢？」
Of laughter I said, It maketh one mad: and of joy, What doth this do?
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 resolved in my heart to indulge my body with wine, while my heart guideth itself with wisdom; and to lay fast hold on folly, till I might see what it is that is good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heavens during the number of 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 great works: I built myself houses; I planted myself vineyards;
5 修造園囿，在其中栽種各樣果木樹；
I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted therein trees of all kinds of fruit;
6 挖造水池，用以澆灌嫩小的樹木。
I made myself pools of water, to water therewith the forest overgrown with trees;
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 bought men-servants and maid-servants, and I had likewise those born in my house; I had also great possessions of cattle and flocks above all that had been before me in Jerusalem.
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 unto myself also silver and gold, and the choice treasures of kings and of the provinces: I procured myself male singers and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men, wagons and chariots.
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。
So was I great, and obtained 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 my eyes desired I refused them not; I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart was rejoiced with all my toil, and this was my portion of all my toil.
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。
But when I turned myself [to look] on all my works that my hands had wrought, and on the toil that I had toiled to accomplish: then, behold, all was vanity and a torture of the spirit, 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 then I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly; for what [can] the man [do] that cometh after the king? [only] that which [others] have done already.
13 我便看出智慧勝過愚昧，如同光明勝過黑暗。
But I saw indeed that wisdom hath the advantage over folly, as great as the advantage of light over 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 hath his eyes in his head, while the fool walketh in darkness; but I myself perceived then also that one occurrence will befall all of them.
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。
Then said I in my heart, The same that befalleth the fool will also befall even me: and why have I then been wiser? Then spoke I in my heart, that this is also 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 is no recollection of the wise any more than of the fool for ever: seeing that which hath long ago been will, in the days that are coming, all be forgotten. And how doth the wise die equally with 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。
Therefore I hated life; because I felt displeased with the work that is wrought under the sun; for all is vanity and a torture of the spirit.
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。
Yea, I hated also all my toil with which I had toiled under the sun; because I should have to leave it unto the man that will 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 will he have full sway over all my toil wherein I have toiled, and wherein I have shown myself wise under the sun. Also this 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。
Therefore I turned about to cause my heart to give up thinking of all the toil wherewith I had toiled 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 many a man whose toil is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and with energy; yet to a man that hath not toiled therefore must he give it as his portion. Also this 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 doth a man obtain of all his toil, and of the torture of his heart, wherewith he toileth 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 full of pains, and vexation is [mingled with] his employment: yea, even in the night his heart taketh not rest. Also this 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。
It is not a good thing [inherent] in man that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy happiness for his toil. Also this have I seen, that it cometh out of the hand of God.
25 論到吃用、享福，誰能勝過我呢？
For who can well eat, or who can enjoy earthly things 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 to a man who is good in his presence [God] giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he giveth employment, to gather up and to bring together, that he may give it to him that is good before God. Also this is vanity and a torture of the spirit.
