Ecclesiastes 2
1 Therfor Y seide in myn hertez, Y schal go, and Y schal flowe in delicis, and Y schal vse goodis; and Y siy also that this was vanyte.
我心裏說：「來吧，我以喜樂試試你，你好享福！」誰知，這也是虛空。
2 And leiyyng Y arrettide errour, and Y seide to ioye, What art thou disseyued in veyn?
我指嬉笑說：「這是狂妄。」論喜樂說：「有何功效呢？」
3 I thouyte in myn herte to withdrawe my fleisch fro wyn, that Y schulde lede ouer my soule to wisdom, and that Y schulde eschewe foli, til Y schulde se, what were profitable to the sones of men; in which dede the noumbre of daies of her lijf vndur the sunne is nedeful.
我心裏察究，如何用酒使我肉體舒暢，我心卻仍以智慧引導我；又如何持住愚昧，等我看明世人，在天下一生當行何事為美。
4 Y magnefiede my werkis, Y bildide housis to me, and Y plauntide vynes; Y made yerdis and orcherdis,
我為自己動大工程，建造房屋，栽種葡萄園，
5 and Y settide tho with the trees of al kynde;
修造園囿，在其中栽種各樣果木樹；
6 and Y made cisternes of watris, for to watre the wode of trees growynge.
挖造水池，用以澆灌嫩小的樹木。
7 I hadde in possessioun seruauntis and handmaidis; and Y hadde myche meynee, and droues of grete beestis, and grete flockis of scheep, ouer alle men that weren bifore me in Jerusalem.
我買了僕婢，也有生在家中的僕婢；又有許多牛群羊群，勝過以前在耶路撒冷眾人所有的。
8 Y gaderide togidere to me siluer and gold, and the castels of kingis and of prouyncis; Y made to me syngeris and syngeressis, and delicis of the sones of men, and cuppis and vessels in seruyce, to helde out wynes;
我又為自己積蓄金銀和君王的財寶，並各省的財寶；又得唱歌的男女和世人所喜愛的物，並許多的妃嬪。
9 and Y passide in richessis alle men, that weren bifor me in Jerusalem. Also wisdom dwellide stabli with me,
這樣，我就日見昌盛，勝過以前在耶路撒冷的眾人。我的智慧仍然存留。
10 and alle thingis whiche myn iyen desiriden, Y denyede not to hem; nether Y refreynede myn herte, that ne it vside al lust, and delitide it silf in these thingis whiche I hadde maad redi; and Y demyde this my part, if Y vside my trauel.
凡我眼所求的，我沒有留下不給它的；我心所樂的，我沒有禁止不享受的；因我的心為我一切所勞碌的快樂，這就是我從勞碌中所得的分。
11 And whanne Y hadde turned me to alle werkis whiche myn hondys hadden maad, and to the trauels in whiche Y hadde swet in veyn, Y siy in alle thingis vanyte and turment of the soule, and that no thing vndir sunne dwellith stabli.
後來，我察看我手所經營的一切事和我勞碌所成的功。誰知都是虛空，都是捕風；在日光之下毫無益處。
12 I passide to biholde wisdom, errours, and foli; Y seide, What is a man, that he may sue the king, his maker?
我轉念觀看智慧、狂妄，和愚昧。在王以後而來的人還能做甚麼呢？也不過行早先所行的就是了。
13 And Y siy, that wisdom yede so mych bifor foli, as miche as liyt is dyuerse fro derknessis.
我便看出智慧勝過愚昧，如同光明勝過黑暗。
14 The iyen of a wijs man ben in his heed, a fool goith in derknessis; and Y lernede, that o perisching was of euer either.
智慧人的眼目光明，愚昧人在黑暗裏行。我卻看明有一件事，這兩等人都必遇見。
15 And Y seide in myn herte, If o deth schal be bothe of the fool and of me, what profitith it to me, that Y yaf more bisynesse to wisdom? And Y spak with my soule, and perseyuede, that this also was vanyte.
我就心裏說：「愚昧人所遇見的，我也必遇見，我為何更有智慧呢？」我心裏說，這也是虛空。
16 For mynde of a wijs man schal not be, in lijk maner as nether of a fool with outen ende, and tymes to comynge schulen hile alle thingis togidere with foryetyng; a lerned man dieth in lijk maner and an vnlerned man.
智慧人和愚昧人一樣，永遠無人記念，因為日後都被忘記；可歎智慧人死亡，與愚昧人無異。
17 And therfor it anoiede me of my lijf, seynge that alle thingis vndur sunne ben yuele, and that alle thingis ben vanyte and turment of the spirit.
我所以恨惡生命；因為在日光之下所行的事我都以為煩惱，都是虛空，都是捕風。
18 Eft Y curside al my bisynesse, bi which Y trauelide moost studiousli vndur sunne, and Y schal haue an eir after me,
我恨惡一切的勞碌，就是我在日光之下的勞碌，因為我得來的必留給我以後的人。
19 whom Y knowe not, whether he schal be wijs ether a fool; and he schal be lord in my trauels, for whiche Y swatte greetli, and was bisi; and is ony thing so veyn?
那人是智慧是愚昧，誰能知道？他竟要管理我勞碌所得的，就是我在日光之下用智慧所得的。這也是虛空。
20 Wherfor Y ceesside, and myn herte forsook for to trauele ferthere vnder sunne.
故此，我轉想我在日光之下所勞碌的一切工作，心便絕望。
21 For whi whanne another man trauelith in wisdom, and techyng, and bisynesse, he leeueth thingis getun to an idel man; and therfor this is vanyte, and greet yuel.
因為有人用智慧、知識、靈巧所勞碌得來的，卻要留給未曾勞碌的人為分。這也是虛空，也是大患。
22 For whi what schal it profite to a man of al his trauel, and turment of spirit, bi which he was turmentid vndur sunne?
人在日光之下勞碌累心，在他一切的勞碌上得着甚麼呢？
23 Alle hise daies ben ful of sorewis and meschefs, and bi nyyt he restith not in soule; and whether this is not vanyte?
因為他日日憂慮，他的勞苦成為愁煩，連夜間心也不安。這也是虛空。
24 Whether it is not betere to ete and drynke, and to schewe to hise soule goodis of hise trauels? and this thing is of the hond of God.
人莫強如吃喝，且在勞碌中享福，我看這也是出於上帝的手。
25 Who schal deuoure so, and schal flowe in delicis, as Y dide?
論到吃用、享福，誰能勝過我呢？
26 God yaf wisdom, and kunnyng, and gladnesse to a good man in his siyt; but he yaf turment, and superflu bisynesse to a synnere, that he encreesse, and gadere togidere, and yyue to hym that plesith God; but also this is vanyte, and veyn bisynesse of soule.
上帝喜悅誰，就給誰智慧、知識，和喜樂；惟有罪人，上帝使他勞苦，叫他將所收聚的、所堆積的歸給上帝所喜悅的人。這也是虛空，也是捕風。
