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 mirth.
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 maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth 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 thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth 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 thou, What is [the cause] that the former days were better than these? for thou dost 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 giveth 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 hath 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 hath set the one over against 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 perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked [man] that prolongeth [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 thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
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 thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy 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 thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth 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 strengtheneth 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 doeth good, and sinneth 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 thou hear thy servant curse thee:
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 thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast 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 pleaseth 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, saith 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 seeketh, 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 hath 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。
