Ecclesiastes 7
1 A [good] name is better than precious oil; and the day of death, than the day of one’s birth.
名譽強如美好的膏油；人死的日子勝過人生的日子。
2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
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。
3 Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made glad.
憂愁強如喜笑； 因為面帶愁容，終必使心喜樂。
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
智慧人的心在遭喪之家； 愚昧人的心在快樂之家。
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
聽智慧人的責備， 強如聽愚昧人的歌唱。
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
愚昧人的笑聲， 好像鍋下燒荊棘的爆聲； 這也是虛空。
7 Surely extortion maketh the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroyeth the understanding.
勒索使智慧人變為愚妄； 賄賂能敗壞人的慧心。
8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; [and] the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
事情的終局強如事情的起頭； 存心忍耐的，勝過居心驕傲的。
9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
你不要心裏急躁惱怒， 因為惱怒存在愚昧人的懷中。
10 Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
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。
11 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance; yea, more excellent is it for them that see the sun.
智慧和產業並好， 而且見天日的人得智慧更為有益。
12 For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it.
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。
13 Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
你要察看上帝的作為； 因上帝使為曲的，誰能變為直呢？
14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yea, God hath made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything [that shall be] after him.
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。
15 All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth [his life] in his evil-doing.
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。
16 Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
不要行義過分，也不要過於自逞智慧，何必自取敗亡呢？
17 Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
不要行惡過分，也不要為人愚昧，何必不到期而死呢？
18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth from them all.
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。
19 Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city.
智慧使有智慧的人比城中十個官長更有能力。
20 Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
時常行善而不犯罪的義人，世上實在沒有。
21 Also take not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee;
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。
22 for oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
因為你心裏知道，自己也曾屢次咒詛別人。
23 All this have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
我曾用智慧試驗這一切事；我說，要得智慧，智慧卻離我遠。
24 That which is, is far off and exceeding deep; who can find it out?
萬事之理，離我甚遠，而且最深，誰能測透呢？
25 I turned about, and my heart [was set] to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason [of things], and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness.
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。
26 And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, [and] whose hands are bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
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。
27 Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher, [laying] one thing to another, to find out the account;
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。
28 which my soul still seeketh, but I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
29 Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
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。
