Ecclesiastes 9
1 I have surely giuen mine heart to all this, and to declare all this, that the iust, and the wise, and their workes are in the hand of God: and no man knoweth eyther loue or hatred of all that is before them.
我留心考察這一切，終於看出：義人、智者和他們的行為，都在天主手裏；是愛是恨，人不知道；二者都能來到他們身上。
2 All things come alike to all: and the same condition is to the iust and to the wicked, to the good and to the pure, and to the polluted, and to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner, he that sweareth, as he that feareth an othe.
無論是義人，是惡人，是好人，是壞人，是潔淨的人，是不潔淨的人，是獻祭的人，是不獻祭的人，都有同樣的命運；好人與罪人一樣，妄發誓的與怕發誓的也一樣。
3 This is euill among all that is done vnder the sunne, that there is one condition to all, and also the heart of the sonnes of men is full of euill, and madnes is in their heartes whiles they liue, and after that, they goe to the dead.
太陽之下所發生的一切事中，最不幸的是眾人都有同樣的命運；更有甚者，世人的心都充滿邪惡，有生之日，心懷狂妄，以後與死者相聚。
4 Surely whosoeuer is ioyned to all ye liuing, there is hope: for it is better to a liuing dog, then to a dead lyon.
的確，誰尚與活人有聯繫，還懷有希望，因為一隻活狗勝過一隻死獅。
5 For the liuing knowe that they shall dye, but the dead knowe nothing at all: neither haue they any more a rewarde: for their remembrance is forgotten.
活著的人至少自知必死，而死了的人卻一無所知；他們再得不到報酬，因為連他們的記念也被人遺忘了。
6 Also their loue, and their hatred, and their enuie is now perished, and they haue no more portion for euer, in all that is done vnder the sunne.
他們的愛好，他們的憎恨，他們的熱誠，皆已消失；在太陽下所發生的一切事，永遠再沒有他們的分。
7 Goe, eate thy bread with ioy, and drinke thy wine with a cheerefull heart: for God nowe accepteth thy workes.
你倒不如去快樂地吃你的飯，開懷暢飲你的酒，因為天主早已嘉納你所作的工作。
8 At all times let thy garments be white, and let not oyle be lacking vpon thine head.
你的衣服常要潔白，你頭上不要缺少香液。
9 Reioyce with the wife whom thou hast loued all the dayes of the life of thy vanitie, which God hath giuen thee vnder the sunne all the dayes of thy vanitie: for this is thy portion in the life, and in thy trauaile wherein thou labourest vnder the sunne.
在天主賜你在太陽下的一生虛幻歲月中，同你的愛妻共享人生之樂：這原是你在太陽下，一生從勞苦中所應得的一分。
10 All that thine hand shall finde to doe, doe it with all thy power: for there is neither worke nor inuention, nor knowledge, nor wisedome in the graue whither thou goest. (Sheol h7585)
你手能做什麼，就努力去做，因為在你所要去的陰府內，沒有工作，沒有計劃，沒有學問，沒有智慧。 (Sheol h7585)
11 I returned, and I sawe vnder the sunne that the race is not to the swift, nor the battell to the strong, nor yet bread to the wise, nor also riches to men of vnderstanding, neither yet fauour to men of knowledge: but time and chance commeth to them all.
我又在太陽下看見：善跑的不得競賽，勇將不得參戰，智者得不到食物，明白人得不到財富，博學者得不到寵幸，因為他們都遭遇了不幸的時運。
12 For neither doth man knowe his time, but as the fishes which are taken in an euill net, and as the birdes that are caught in the snare: so are the children of men snared in the euill time when it falleth vpon them suddenly.
因為人不知道自己的時期，當凶險猝然而至的時候，人子為不幸的時運所獲，就像魚被網捕住，又像鳥被圈套套住。
13 I haue also seene this wisedome vnder the sunne, and it is great vnto me.
在太陽下我又得了一個智慧的經驗，依我看來，大有意義：
14 A litle citie and fewe men in it, and a great King came against it, and compassed it about, and builded fortes against it.
有座小城，裏面居民不多；有位大王來攻打此城，把城圍住，周圍築了高壘。
15 And there was founde therein a poore and wise man, and he deliuered the citie by his wisedome: but none remembred this poore man.
那時，城中有個貧賤卻具有智慧的人，他用自己的智慧，救了本城：可是人們卻忘了這貧賤的人。
16 Then said I, Better is wisdome then strength: yet the wisedome of the poore is despised, and his wordes are not heard.
於是我說：智慧遠勝過武力；然而貧賤人的智慧卻被人輕忽，他的話卻沒有人聽。
17 The wordes of the wise are more heard in quietnes, then the crye of him that ruleth among fooles.
智者溫和的言語，比王者在愚人中的吶喊，更受歡迎。
18 Better is wisedome then weapons of warre: but one sinner destroyeth much good.
智慧勝於武器；一個錯誤能破壞許多好事。
