Ecclesiastes 2
1 I SAID in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is 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 of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?
我稱歡笑為「瘋狂，」我對喜樂說：「這有何用﹖」
3 I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven 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 made me great works; I builded 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 I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:
開闢園囿，在其中栽植各種果樹，
6 I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:
挖掘水池，以澆灌在生長中的樹木。
7 I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:
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 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.
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 was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with 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 whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; 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 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit 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 And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.
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 Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth 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 walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth 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 Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.
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 more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as 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 Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation 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 Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be 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 knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself 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 Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took 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 a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a 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 what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured 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 sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. 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 There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was 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 can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?
因為離了天主，誰能有吃的，誰能有所享受﹖
26 For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation 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。
