傳道書 1
1 在耶路撒冷作王、大衛的兒子、傳道者的言語。
Words of a preacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 傳道者說：虛空的虛空， 虛空的虛空，凡事都是虛空。
Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, Vanity of vanities: the whole [is] vanity.
3 人一切的勞碌， 就是他在日光之下的勞碌，有甚麼益處呢？
What advantage [is] to man by all his labour that he laboureth at under the sun?
4 一代過去，一代又來， 地卻永遠長存。
A generation is going, and a generation is coming, and the earth to the age is standing.
5 日頭出來，日頭落下， 急歸所出之地。
Also, the sun hath risen, and the sun hath gone in, and unto its place panting it is rising there.
6 風往南颳，又向北轉， 不住地旋轉，而且返回轉行原道。
Going unto the south, and turning round unto the north, turning round, turning round, the wind is going, and by its circuits the wind hath returned.
7 江河都往海裏流，海卻不滿； 江河從何處流，仍歸還何處。
All the streams are going unto the sea, and the sea is not full; unto a place whither the streams are going, thither they are turning back to go.
8 萬事令人厭煩， 人不能說盡。 眼看，看不飽； 耳聽，聽不足。
All these things are wearying; a man is not able to speak, the eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor filled is the ear from hearing.
9 已有的事後必再有； 已行的事後必再行。 日光之下並無新事。
What [is] that which hath been? it [is] that which is, and what [is] that which hath been done? it [is] that which is done, and there is not an entirely new thing under the sun.
10 豈有一件事人能指着說這是新的？ 哪知，在我們以前的世代早已有了。
There is a thing of which [one] saith: 'See this, it [is] new!' already it hath been in the ages that were before us!
11 已過的世代，無人記念； 將來的世代，後來的人也不記念。
There is not a remembrance of former [generations]; and also of the latter that are, there is no remembrance of them with those that are at the last.
12 我傳道者在耶路撒冷作過以色列的王。
I, a preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 我專心用智慧尋求、查究天下所做的一切事，乃知上帝叫世人所經練的是極重的勞苦。
And I have given my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that hath been done under the heavens. It [is] a sad travail God hath given to the sons of man to be humbled by it.
14 我見日光之下所做的一切事，都是虛空，都是捕風。
I have seen all the works that have been done under the sun, and lo, the whole [is] vanity and vexation of spirit!
15 彎曲的，不能變直； 缺少的，不能足數。
A crooked thing [one] is not able to make straight, and a lacking thing is not able to be numbered.
16 我心裏議論說：我得了大智慧，勝過我以前在耶路撒冷的眾人，而且我心中多經歷智慧和知識的事。
I — I spake with my heart, saying, 'I, lo, I have magnified and added wisdom above every one who hath been before me at Jerusalem, and my heart hath seen abundantly wisdom and knowledge.
17 我又專心察明智慧、狂妄，和愚昧，乃知這也是捕風。
And I give my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I have known that even this [is] vexation of spirit;
18 因為多有智慧，就多有愁煩； 加增知識的，就加增憂傷。
for, in abundance of wisdom [is] abundance of sadness, and he who addeth knowledge addeth pain.'
