我心里说:“来吧,让我用喜乐试试你,使你享福!”看哪,这也是虚空。
I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.
2论嬉笑,我说:“这是狂妄。”论享乐,“这有什么用呢?”I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?
3我心以智慧引导我,我心里探究,如何用酒使身体舒畅,如何抓住愚昧,直等我看明世人在天下短暂一生中,当行何事为美。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.
4我大兴土木,为自己建造房屋,栽葡萄园,I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:
5修造庭园和公园,在其中栽种各样果树,I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:
6挖造水池,用以灌溉林中的幼树。I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:
7我买了仆婢,也有生在家中的仆婢;又有许多牛群羊群,胜过我以前所有在耶路撒冷的人。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:
8我为自己积蓄金银,搜集各君王、各省份的财宝;又为自己得男女歌手和世人所喜爱的物,以及一个又一个的妃嫔。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.
9这样,我就日渐昌盛,胜过我以前所有在耶路撒冷的人。我的智慧仍然存留。So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
10凡我眼所求的,我没有克制它;我心所乐的,我没有不享受。因我的心要为一切的劳碌快乐,这是我从一切劳碌中所得的报偿☛“报偿”或译“福分”;3.22,5.18,9.9同。。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.
11后来,我回顾我手所经营的一切和我劳碌所做的工。看哪,全是虚空,全是捕风;在日光之下毫无益处。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.
12我转而回顾智慧、狂妄和愚昧。在王以后来的人又如何呢?不过做先前所做的就是了。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.
13于是我看出智慧胜过愚昧,如同光明胜过黑暗。Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.
14智慧人的眼目光明☛“光明”:原文是“在他头上”。,愚昧人却在黑暗里行。但我知道他们都有相同的遭遇。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.
15我心里就说:“愚昧人所遇见的,我也一样遇见,那么我何必更有智慧呢?”我心里说:“这也是虚空。”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.
16智慧人和愚昧人一样,不会长久被人记念,因为日后都被遗忘。可叹!智慧人和愚昧人都一样会死亡。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.
17于是我恨恶生命,因为在日光之下所发生的事我都以为烦恼,全是虚空,全是捕风。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.
18我恨恶一切的劳碌,就是我在日光之下所劳碌的,因为我所得的必须留给我以后的人。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.
19那人是智慧是愚昧,谁能知道呢?他竟要掌管我在日光之下用智慧劳碌所得的。这也是虚空。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.
20我转想我在日光之下所劳碌的一切工作,心就绝望。Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.
21因为有人用智慧、知识、灵巧劳碌工作,所得来的却要遗留给未曾劳碌的人作产业。这也是虚空,大大不幸。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.
22人一切的劳碌操心,就是他在日光之下所劳碌的,又得着了什么呢?For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?
23他日日忧虑,他的劳苦成为愁烦,连夜间心也不得休息。这也是虚空。For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.
24难道一个人有吃有喝,且在劳碌中享福,不是福气吗?我看这也是出于神的手。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.
25论到吃用、享福,谁能胜过我呢?For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?
26神喜爱谁,就给谁智慧、知识和喜乐;惟有罪人,神使他劳苦,将他所储藏、所堆积的归给神所喜爱的人。这也是虚空,也是捕风。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.