你趁着年轻、衰老的日子尚未来到，就是你所说，我毫无喜悦的那些岁月来临之前，当记念造你的主。
Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
2不要等到太阳、光明、月亮、星宿变为黑暗，雨后云又返回；While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:
3看守房屋的发颤，强壮的屈身，推磨的妇女因人少而停工，从窗户往外看的眼光变为昏暗；In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,
4街门关闭，推磨的声音微小，鸟一叫，就惊醒，唱歌女子的声音也都微弱；And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;
5人怕高处，路上有惊慌；杏树开花，蚱蜢成为重担，欲望不再挑起；因为人归他永远的家，吊丧的在街上往来。Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:
6不要等到银链折断☛“折断”：原文另译“取下”。，金罐破裂，瓶子在泉旁损坏，水轮在井口断裂，Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.
7尘土仍归于地，像原来一样，气息仍归于赐气息的神。Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
8传道者说：“虚空的虚空，全是虚空。”结论
Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.
9再者，传道者因有智慧，将知识教导众人；他思量，考察，并列举出许多箴言。And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.
10传道者专心寻求可喜悦的言语，是凭正直写的诚实话。The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.
11智慧人的话语如同刺棒；这些嘉言好像钉稳的钉子，都是一个牧者所赐的。The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
12我儿，还有一点，你当受劝戒：著书多，没有穷尽；读书多，身体疲倦。And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13这些事都已听见了，结论就是：敬畏神，谨守他的诫命，这是人当尽的本分。Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14因为人所做的事，连一切隐藏的事，无论是善是恶，神都必审问。For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.