傳道書 7
1 名譽強如美好的膏油；人死的日子勝過人生的日子。
A good name is betere than preciouse oynementis; and the dai of deth is betere than the dai of birthe.
2 往遭喪的家去， 強如往宴樂的家去； 因為死是眾人的結局， 活人也必將這事放在心上。
It is betere to go to the hous of morenyng, than to the hous of a feeste; for in that hous `of morenyng the ende of alle men is monestid, and a man lyuynge thenkith, what is to comynge.
3 憂愁強如喜笑； 因為面帶愁容，終必使心喜樂。
Yre is betere than leiyyng; for the soule of a trespassour is amendid bi the heuynesse of cheer.
4 智慧人的心在遭喪之家； 愚昧人的心在快樂之家。
The herte of wise men is where sorewe is; and the herte of foolis is where gladnesse is.
5 聽智慧人的責備， 強如聽愚昧人的歌唱。
It is betere to be repreued of a wijs man, than to be disseyued bi the flateryng of foolis;
6 愚昧人的笑聲， 好像鍋下燒荊棘的爆聲； 這也是虛空。
for as the sown of thornes brennynge vndur a pot, so is the leiyyng of a fool. But also this is vanyte.
7 勒索使智慧人變為愚妄； 賄賂能敗壞人的慧心。
Fals chalenge disturblith a wijs man, and it schal leese the strengthe of his herte.
8 事情的終局強如事情的起頭； 存心忍耐的，勝過居心驕傲的。
Forsothe the ende of preyer is betere than the bigynnyng. A pacient man is betere than a proud man.
9 你不要心裏急躁惱怒， 因為惱怒存在愚昧人的懷中。
Be thou not swift to be wrooth; for ire restith in the bosum of a fool.
10 不要說： 先前的日子強過如今的日子， 是甚麼緣故呢？ 你這樣問，不是出於智慧。
Seie thou not, What gessist thou is of cause, that the formere tymes weren betere than ben now? for whi siche axyng is fonned.
11 智慧和產業並好， 而且見天日的人得智慧更為有益。
Forsothe wisdom with richessis is more profitable, and profitith more to men seynge the sunne.
12 因為智慧護庇人， 好像銀錢護庇人一樣。 惟獨智慧能保全智慧人的生命。 這就是知識的益處。
For as wisdom defendith, so money defendith; but lernyng and wisdom hath this more, that tho yyuen lijf to `her weldere.
13 你要察看上帝的作為； 因上帝使為曲的，誰能變為直呢？
Biholde thou the werkis of God, that no man may amende hym, whom God hath dispisid.
14 遇亨通的日子你當喜樂；遭患難的日子你當思想；因為上帝使這兩樣並列，為的是叫人查不出身後有甚麼事。
In a good day vse thou goodis, and bifore eschewe thou an yuel day; for God made so this dai as that dai, that a man fynde not iust playnyngis ayens hym.
15 有義人行義，反致滅亡；有惡人行惡，倒享長壽。這都是我在虛度之日中所見過的。
Also Y siy these thingis in the daies of my natyuyte; a iust man perischith in his riytfulnesse, and a wickid man lyueth myche tyme in his malice.
16 不要行義過分，也不要過於自逞智慧，何必自取敗亡呢？
Nyle thou be iust myche, nether vndurstonde thou more than is nedeful; lest thou be astonyed.
17 不要行惡過分，也不要為人愚昧，何必不到期而死呢？
Do thou not wickidli myche, and nyle thou be a fool; lest thou die in a tyme not thin.
18 你持守這個為美，那個也不要鬆手；因為敬畏上帝的人，必從這兩樣出來。
It is good, that thou susteyne a iust man; but also withdrawe thou not thin hond from hym; for he that dredith God, is not necligent of ony thing.
19 智慧使有智慧的人比城中十個官長更有能力。
Wisdom hath coumfortid a wise man, ouer ten pryncis of a citee.
20 時常行善而不犯罪的義人，世上實在沒有。
Forsothe no iust man is in erthe, that doith good, and synneth not.
21 人所說的一切話，你不要放在心上，恐怕聽見你的僕人咒詛你。
But also yyue thou not thin herte to alle wordis, that ben seid; lest perauenture thou here thi seruaunt cursynge thee;
22 因為你心裏知道，自己也曾屢次咒詛別人。
for thi conscience woot, that also thou hast cursid ofte othere men.
23 我曾用智慧試驗這一切事；我說，要得智慧，智慧卻離我遠。
I asayede alle thingis in wisdom; Y seide, I schal be maad wijs, and it yede awei ferthere fro me, myche more than it was;
24 萬事之理，離我甚遠，而且最深，誰能測透呢？
and the depthe is hiy, who schal fynde it?
25 我轉念，一心要知道，要考察，要尋求智慧和萬事的理由；又要知道邪惡為愚昧，愚昧為狂妄。
I cumpasside alle thingis in my soule, to kunne, and biholde, and seke wisdom and resoun, and to knowe the wickidnesse of a fool, and the errour of vnprudent men.
26 我得知有等婦人比死還苦：她的心是網羅，手是鎖鍊。凡蒙上帝喜悅的人必能躲避她；有罪的人卻被她纏住了。
And Y foond a womman bitterere than deth, which is the snare of hunteris, and hir herte is a net, and hir hondis ben boondis; he that plesith God schal ascape hir, but he that is a synnere, schal be takun of hir.
27 傳道者說：「看哪，一千男子中，我找到一個正直人，但眾女子中，沒有找到一個。」我將這事一一比較，要尋求其理，我心仍要尋找，卻未曾找到。
Lo! Y foond this, seide Ecclesiastes, oon and other, that Y schulde fynde resoun, which my soule sekith yit;
and Y foond not. I foond o man of a thousynde; Y foond not a womman of alle.
29 我所找到的只有一件，就是上帝造人原是正直，但他們尋出許多巧計。
I foond this oonli, that God made a man riytful; and he medlide hym silf with questiouns with out noumbre. Who is siche as a wijs man? and who knowith the expownyng of a word?
