Ecclesiastes 9
1 I tretide alle these thingis in myn herte, to vndirstonde diligentli. Iust men, and wise men ben, and her werkis ben in the hond of God; and netheles a man noot, whether he is worthi of loue or of hatrede.
我將這一切事放在心上，詳細考究，就知道義人和智慧人，並他們的作為都在上帝手中；或是愛，或是恨，都在他們的前面，人不能知道。
2 But alle thingis ben kept vncerteyn in to tyme to comynge; for alle thingis bifallen euenli to a iust man and to a wickid man, to a good man and to an yuel man, to a cleene man and to an vnclene man, to a man offrynge offryngis and sacrifices, and to a man dispisynge sacrifices; as a good man, so and a synnere; as a forsworun man, so and he that greetli swerith treuthe.
凡臨到眾人的事都是一樣：義人和惡人都遭遇一樣的事；好人，潔淨人和不潔淨人，獻祭的與不獻祭的，也是一樣。好人如何，罪人也如何；起誓的如何，怕起誓的也如何。
3 This thing is the worste among alle thingis, that ben don vndur the sunne, that the same thingis bifallen to alle men; wherfor and the hertis of the sones of men ben fillid with malice and dispisyng in her lijf; and aftir these thingis thei schulen be led doun to hellis.
在日光之下所行的一切事上有一件禍患，就是眾人所遭遇的都是一樣，並且世人的心充滿了惡；活着的時候心裏狂妄，後來就歸死人那裏去了。
4 No man is, that lyueth euere, and that hath trist of this thing; betere is a quik dogge than a deed lioun.
與一切活人相連的，那人還有指望，因為活着的狗比死了的獅子更強。
5 For thei that lyuen witen that thei schulen die; but deed men knowen no thing more, nether han meede ferthere; for her mynde is youun to foryetyng.
活着的人知道必死；死了的人毫無所知，也不再得賞賜；他們的名無人記念。
6 Also the loue, and hatrede, and enuye perischiden togidere; and thei han no part in this world, and in the werk that is don vndur the sunne.
他們的愛，他們的恨，他們的嫉妒，早都消滅了。在日光之下所行的一切事上，他們永不再有分了。
7 Therfor go thou, iust man, and ete thi breed in gladnesse, and drynke thi wiyn with ioie; for thi werkis plesen God.
你只管去歡歡喜喜吃你的飯，心中快樂喝你的酒，因為上帝已經悅納你的作為。
8 In ech tyme thi clothis be white, and oile faile not fro thin heed.
你的衣服當時常潔白，你頭上也不要缺少膏油。
9 Vse thou lijf with the wijf which thou louest, in alle the daies of lijf of thin vnstablenesse, that ben youun to thee vndur sunne, in al the tyme of thi vanyte; for this is thi part in thi lijf and trauel, bi which thou trauelist vndur the sunne.
在你一生虛空的年日，就是上帝賜你在日光之下虛空的年日，當同你所愛的妻，快活度日，因為那是你生前在日光之下勞碌的事上所得的分。
10 Worche thou bisili, what euer thing thin hond mai do; for nether werk, nether resoun, nethir kunnyng, nether wisdom schulen be at hellis, whidir thou haastist. (Sheol h7585)
凡你手所當做的事要盡力去做；因為在你所必去的陰間沒有工作，沒有謀算，沒有知識，也沒有智慧。 (Sheol h7585)
11 I turnede me to another thing, and Y siy vndur sunne, that rennyng is not of swift men, nethir batel is of stronge men, nether breed is of wise men, nether richessis ben of techeris, ne grace is of crafti men; but tyme and hap is in alle thingis.
我又轉念：見日光之下，快跑的未必能贏；力戰的未必得勝；智慧的未必得糧食；明哲的未必得資財；靈巧的未必得喜悅。所臨到眾人的是在乎當時的機會。
12 A man knowith not his ende; but as fischis ben takun with an hook, and as briddis ben takun with a snare, so men ben takun in yuel tyme, whanne it cometh sudeynli on hem.
原來人也不知道自己的定期。魚被惡網圈住，鳥被網羅捉住，禍患忽然臨到的時候，世人陷在其中也是如此。
13 Also Y siy this wisdom vndur the sunne, and Y preuede it the mooste.
我見日光之下有一樣智慧，據我看乃是廣大，
14 A litil citee, and a fewe men ther ynne; a greet kyng cam ayens it, and cumpasside it with palis, and he bildide strengthis bi cumpas; and bisegyng was maad perfit.
就是有一小城，其中的人數稀少，有大君王來攻擊，修築營壘，將城圍困。
15 And a pore man and a wijs was foundun ther ynne; and he delyuerede the citee bi his wisdom, and no man bithouyte aftirward on that pore man.
城中有一個貧窮的智慧人，他用智慧救了那城，卻沒有人記念那窮人。
16 And Y seide, that wisdom is betere than strengthe; hou therfor is the wisdom of a pore man dispisid, and hise wordis ben not herd?
我就說，智慧勝過勇力；然而那貧窮人的智慧被人藐視，他的話也無人聽從。
17 The wordis of wise men ben herd in silence, more than the cry of a prince among foolis.
寧可在安靜之中聽智慧人的言語，不聽掌管愚昧人的喊聲。
18 Betere is wisdom than armuris of batel; and he that synneth in o thing, schal leese many goodis.
智慧勝過打仗的兵器；但一個罪人能敗壞許多善事。
