Ecclesiastes 2
1 I said in my heart, Come now, I will prove thee with mirth, and behold thou good: and, behold, this is also vanity.
我心下自語：「來，試一試快樂，享受一下福樂! 」看，這也是空虛。
2 I said to laughter, Madness: and to mirth, Why doest thou this:
我稱歡笑為「瘋狂，」我對喜樂說：「這有何用﹖」
3 And I examined whether my heart would excite my flesh as [with] wine, (though my heart guided [me] in wisdom, ) and [I desired] to lay hold of mirth, until I should see of what kind is the good to the sons of men, which they should do under the sun all the days of their life.
我遂決意喝酒以使我的肉身暢快，－－但我的心仍為智慧所引導，並決意迷於狂妄的事，直到我看清，世人在天下一生有限的歲月中所做的事，有什麼好處為止。
4 I enlarged my work; I built me houses; I planted me vineyards.
我於是擴大我的工程：為自己建造宮室，栽植葡萄園，
5 I made me gardens and orchards, and planted in them every kind of fruit-tree.
開闢園囿，在其中栽植各種果樹，
6 I made me pools of water, to water from them the timber-bearing wood.
挖掘水池，以澆灌在生長中的樹木。
7 I got servants and maidens, and servants were born to me in the house: also I had abundant possession of flocks and herds, beyond all who were before me in Jerusalem.
買了奴婢，還有在家中出世的僮僕，又有許多牛羊，多過我以前住在耶路撒冷的人。
8 Moreover I collected for myself both silver and gold also, and the peculiar treasures of kings and provinces: I procured me singing men and singing women, and delights of the sons of men, a butler and female cupbearers.
我還聚斂了大批金銀，及各王候各省份的財寶；擁有許多歌唱的男女，無數的嬪妃，以及人間所有的享受。
9 So I became great, and advanced beyond all that were before in Jerusalem: also my wisdom was established to me.
我雖如此富有，超過以往住在耶路撒冷的人，但我仍沒有喪失智慧。
10 And whatever mine eyes desired, I withheld not from them, I withheld not my heart from all my mirth: for my heart rejoiced in all my labour; and this was my portion of all my labour.
凡我眼所希求的，我決不加以拒絕；凡我心所願享受的快樂，我決不加以阻止；因為我的心對我的一切勞苦工作，實在滿意；其實，這也是我由勞苦工作應得的報酬。
11 And I looked on all my works which my hands had wrought, and on my labour which I laboured to perform: and behold, all was vanity and waywardness of spirit, and there is no advantage under the sun.
但當我回顧我所作的一切工作，以及工作時所受的勞苦，看，一切都是空虛，都是追風；在太陽之下，毫無裨益。
12 Then I looked on to see wisdom, and madness, and folly: for who is the man who will follow after counsel, in all things where in he employs it?
我又回顧觀察智慧、瘋狂和昏愚；那繼位作君王的人能做什麼﹖只能做已做過的事。
13 And I saw that wisdom excels folly, as much as light excels darkness.
我看透智慧勝於昏愚，像光明勝於黑暗。「
14 The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walks in darkness: and I perceived, even I, that one event shall happen to them all.
智者高瞻遠矚，愚者卻在黑暗中摸索。」但我也知道：二者都要遭遇同樣的命運。
15 And I said in my heart, As the event of the fool is, so shall it be to me, even to me: and to what purpose have I gained wisdom? I said moreover in my heart, This is also vanity, because the fool speaks of his abundance.
我心中自問：「愚人的命運，我也會遇到，為什麼我要更明智﹖」我遂下結論說：「這也是空虛。」
16 For there is no remembrance of the wise man with the fool for ever; forasmuch as now [in] the coming days all things are forgotten: and how shall the wise man die with the fool?
因為智者和愚者，同樣不為人常久記念，早晚有一天都要被人遺忘。可惜，智者和愚者同樣死去!
17 So I hated life; because the work that was wrought under the sun was evil before me: for all is vanity and waywardness of spirit.
於是我惱恨生命，因為太陽之下所發生的事，無非使我煩惱，因為全是空虛，都是追風。
18 And I hated the whole of my labour which I took under the sun; because I must leave it to the man who will come after me.
我憎恨我在太陽下所受的勞苦，因為我要將勞苦所得，留給我的後人。
19 And who knows whether he will be a wise [man] or a fool? and whether he will have power over all my labour in which I laboured, and wherein I grew wise under the sun? this is also vanity.
他是智是愚，有誰知道；但他一定要主管我在太陽下，以智慧所辛苦經營的一切工作：這也是空虛。
20 so I went about to dismiss from my heart all my labour wherein I had laboured under the sun.
我回顧我在太陽下所受的一切勞苦，就灰心失望。
21 For there is [such] a man that his labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in fortitude; [yet] this man shall give his portion to one who has not laboured therein. This is also vanity and great evil.
因為有人以智慧、學問和才幹勞作得來的，卻應留給那未曾勞作的人，作為產業：這也是空虛和大不幸。
22 For it happens to a man in all his labour, and in the purpose of his heart wherein he labours under the sun.
人在太陽下所受的一切勞苦，以及痛心的事，究竟有什麼裨益﹖
23 For all his days [are days] of sorrows, and vexation of spirit is his; in the night also his heart rests not. This is also vanity.
其實，人天天所有的事務，無非是悲苦和煩惱；而且夜裏，心也得不到安息：這也是空虛。
24 A man has nothing [really] good to eat, and to drink, and to shew his soul [as] good in his trouble. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.
人除了吃喝和享受自己勞作之所得以外，別無更好的事。我也看透了：這是從天主手裏來的。
25 For who shall eat, or who shall drink, without him?
因為離了天主，誰能有吃的，誰能有所享受﹖
26 For [God] has given to the man who is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but he has given to the sinner trouble, to add and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God; for this is also vanity and waywardness of spirit.
天主原把智慧、學問和歡樂，賜給他所喜愛的人。至於罪人，天主將積蓄貯藏財物的勞苦加於他身上，好將一切財物留給天主所喜愛的人：這也是空虛，也是追風。
