< Ecclesiastes 7 >

1 A good name is better than precious ointments: and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
名誉强如美好的膏油;人死的日子胜过人生的日子。
2 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to the house of feasting: for in that we are put in mind of the end of all, and the living thinketh what is to come.
往遭丧的家去, 强如往宴乐的家去; 因为死是众人的结局, 活人也必将这事放在心上。
3 Anger is better than laughter: because by the sadness of the countenance the mind of the offender is corrected.
忧愁强如喜笑; 因为面带愁容,终必使心喜乐。
4 The heart of the wise is where there is mourning, and the heart of fools where there is mirth.
智慧人的心在遭丧之家; 愚昧人的心在快乐之家。
5 It is better to be rebuked by a wise man, than to be deceived by the flattery of fools.
听智慧人的责备, 强如听愚昧人的歌唱。
6 For as the crackling of thorns burning under a pot, so is the laughter of a fool: now this also is vanity.
愚昧人的笑声, 好像锅下烧荆棘的爆声; 这也是虚空。
7 Oppression troubleth the wise, and shall destroy the strength of his heart.
勒索使智慧人变为愚妄; 贿赂能败坏人的慧心。
8 Better is the end of a speech than the beginning. Better is the patient man than the presumptuous.
事情的终局强如事情的起头; 存心忍耐的,胜过居心骄傲的。
9 Be not quickly angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of a fool.
你不要心里急躁恼怒, 因为恼怒存在愚昧人的怀中。
10 Say not: What thinkest thou is the cause that former times were better than they are now? for this manner of question is foolish.
不要说: 先前的日子强过如今的日子, 是什么缘故呢? 你这样问,不是出于智慧。
11 Wisdom with riches is more profitable, and bringeth more advantage to them that see the sun.
智慧和产业并好, 而且见天日的人得智慧更为有益。
12 For as wisdom is a defence, so money is a defence: but learning and wisdom excel in this, that they give life to him that possesseth them.
因为智慧护庇人, 好像银钱护庇人一样。 惟独智慧能保全智慧人的生命。 这就是知识的益处。
13 Consider the works of God, that no man can correct whom he hath despised.
你要察看 神的作为; 因 神使为曲的,谁能变为直呢?
14 In the good day enjoy good things, and beware beforehand of the evil day: for God hath made both the one and the other, that man may not find against him any just complaint.
遇亨通的日子你当喜乐;遭患难的日子你当思想;因为 神使这两样并列,为的是叫人查不出身后有什么事。
15 These things also I saw in the days of my vanity: A just man perisheth in his justice, and a wicked man liveth a long time in his wickedness.
有义人行义,反致灭亡;有恶人行恶,倒享长寿。这都是我在虚度之日中所见过的。
16 Be not over just: and be not more wise than is necessary, lest thou become stupid.
不要行义过分,也不要过于自逞智慧,何必自取败亡呢?
17 Be not overmuch wicked: and be not foolish, lest thou die before thy time.
不要行恶过分,也不要为人愚昧,何必不到期而死呢?
18 It is good that thou shouldst hold up the just, yea and from him withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God, neglecteth nothing.
你持守这个为美,那个也不要松手;因为敬畏 神的人,必从这两样出来。
19 Wisdom hath strengthened the wise more than ten princes of the city.
智慧使有智慧的人比城中十个官长更有能力。
20 For there is no just man upon earth, that doth good, and sinneth not.
时常行善而不犯罪的义人,世上实在没有。
21 But do not apply thy heart to all words that are spoken: lest perhaps thou hear thy servant reviling thee.
人所说的一切话,你不要放在心上,恐怕听见你的仆人咒诅你。
22 For thy conscience knoweth that thou also hast often spoken evil of others.
因为你心里知道,自己也曾屡次咒诅别人。
23 I have tried all things in wisdom. I have said: I will be wise: and it departed farther from me,
我曾用智慧试验这一切事;我说,要得智慧,智慧却离我远。
24 Much more than it was: it is a great depth, who shall find it out?
万事之理,离我甚远,而且最深,谁能测透呢?
25 I have surveyed all things with my mind, to know, and consider, and seek out wisdom and reason: and to know the wickedness of the fool, and the error of the imprudent:
我转念,一心要知道,要考察,要寻求智慧和万事的理由;又要知道邪恶为愚昧,愚昧为狂妄。
26 And I have found a woman more bitter than death, who is the hunter’s snare, and her heart is a net, and her hands are bands. He that pleaseth God shall escape from her: but he that is a sinner, shall be caught by her.
我得知有等妇人比死还苦:她的心是网罗,手是锁链。凡蒙 神喜悦的人必能躲避她;有罪的人却被她缠住了。
27 Lo this have I found, said Ecclesiastes, weighing one thing after another, that I might find out the account,
传道者说:“看哪,一千男子中,我找到一个正直人,但众女子中,没有找到一个。”我将这事一一比较,要寻求其理,我心仍要寻找,却未曾找到。
28 Which yet my soul seeketh, and I have not found it. One man among a thousand I have found, a woman among them all I have not found.
29 Only this I have found, that God made man right, and he hath entangled himself with an infinity of questions. Who is as the wise man? and who hath known the resolution of the word?
我所找到的只有一件,就是 神造人原是正直,但他们寻出许多巧计。

< Ecclesiastes 7 >