Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than precious ointment; 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 better.
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 delight.
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 oppression makes a wise man mad; and a gift destroys the heart.
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 your spirit to be angry: for anger rests 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 you, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for you do not enquire 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 good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to 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, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom gives life to them that have 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 has 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, but in the day of adversity consider: God also has set the one opposite to the other, to the end that man should find nothing 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 things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongs his life in his wickedness.
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 over much; neither make yourself over wise: why should you destroy yourself?
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 over much wicked, neither be you foolish: why should you die before your 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 you should take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not your hand: for he that fears God shall come out of 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 strengthens the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
智慧使有智慧的人比城中十個官長更有能力。
20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that does good, and sins not.
時常行善而不犯罪的義人，世上實在沒有。
21 Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest you hear your servant curse you:
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 your own heart knows that you yourself likewise have 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 by 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 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 applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and 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 her hands as bands: whoso pleases 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, says the preacher, counting one by one, 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 yet my soul seeks, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
29 Lo, this only have I found, that God has 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。
