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 test you with mirth: therefore enjoy pleasure;" and look, this also was vanity.
2 我指嬉笑說：「這是狂妄。」論喜樂說：「有何功效呢？」
I said of laughter, "It is foolishness;" and of mirth, "What does it accomplish?"
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 cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding me with wisdom, and how to lay hold of folly, until I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their lives.
4 我為自己動大工程，建造房屋，栽種葡萄園，
I made myself 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 parks, and I planted trees in them 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 from it the forest where trees were 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 bought male servants and female servants, and had servants born in my house. I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all who were 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 also gathered silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces. I got myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men—musical instruments, and that of all sorts.
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 I was great, and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also 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。
Whatever my eyes desired, I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor.
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 at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and look, all was vanity and a chasing after 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。
I turned myself to consider wisdom, madness, and folly. For what can the man who comes after the king do? Just that which he has already done.
13 我便看出智慧勝過愚昧，如同光明勝過黑暗。
Then I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels 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 walks in darkness—and yet I perceived that one event happens 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。
Then said I in my heart, "As it happens to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise?" Then said I 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 of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no memory for ever, seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. Indeed, the wise man must die just like 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。
So I hated life, because the work that is worked under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a chasing after 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。
I hated all my labor in which I labored under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who comes 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。
Who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all of my labor in which I have labored, and in which I have shown myself 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。
Therefore I began to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor in which I had labored 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 labor is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not labored for it. 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 has a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart, in which he labors 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 is grief; yes, even in the night his heart takes 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 better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.
25 論到吃用、享福，誰能勝過我呢？
For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, apart from him?
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 the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
