传道书 1
1 在耶路撒冷作王、大卫的儿子、传道者的言语。
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 传道者说：虚空的虚空， 虚空的虚空，凡事都是虚空。
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity.
3 人一切的劳碌， 就是他在日光之下的劳碌，有什么益处呢？
What profit hath a man by all his labor with which he wearieth himself under the sun?
4 一代过去，一代又来， 地却永远长存。
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; while the earth abideth for ever.
5 日头出来，日头落下， 急归所出之地。
The sun riseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteneth to the place whence it arose.
6 风往南刮，又向北转， 不住地旋转，而且返回转行原道。
The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about to the north; round and round goeth the wind, and returneth to its circuits.
7 江河都往海里流，海却不满； 江河从何处流，仍归还何处。
All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; to the place whence the rivers come, thither they return.
8 万事令人厌烦， 人不能说尽。 眼看，看不饱； 耳听，听不足。
All words become weary; man cannot express it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 已有的事后必再有； 已行的事后必再行。 日光之下并无新事。
The thing that hath been is that which shall be, and that which hath been done is that which shall be done; and there is no new thing under the sun.
10 岂有一件事人能指着说这是新的？ 哪知，在我们以前的世代早已有了。
Is there any thing of which one may say, “Behold, this is new”? It was long ago, in the times which were before us.
11 已过的世代，无人记念； 将来的世代，后来的人也不记念。
There is no remembrance of former things, and of things that are to come there shall be no remembrance to those who live afterwards.
12 我传道者在耶路撒冷作过以色列的王。
I, the Preacher, was king over Israel at Jerusalem.
13 我专心用智慧寻求、查究天下所做的一切事，乃知 神叫世人所经练的是极重的劳苦。
And I gave my mind to seek and to search out with wisdom concerning all things which are done under heaven; an evil business, which God hath given to the sons of men, in which to employ themselves.
14 我见日光之下所做的一切事，都是虚空，都是捕风。
I saw all the things which are done under the sun; and, behold, it was all vanity, and striving after wind.
15 弯曲的，不能变直； 缺少的，不能足数。
That which is crooked cannot be made straight, and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
16 我心里议论说：我得了大智慧，胜过我以前在耶路撒冷的众人，而且我心中多经历智慧和知识的事。
I communed with my heart, saying, “Behold, I have gained more and greater wisdom than all who have been before me at Jerusalem; yea, my mind hath seen much wisdom and knowledge.”
17 我又专心察明智慧、狂妄，和愚昧，乃知这也是捕风。
And I gave my mind to know wisdom, and to know senselessness and folly; I perceived that this also is striving after wind.
18 因为多有智慧，就多有愁烦； 加增知识的，就加增忧伤。
For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
