传道书 1
1 在耶路撒冷作王、大卫的儿子、传道者的言语。
These are the words of the Teacher, the descendant of David and king in Jerusalem.
2 传道者说：虚空的虚空， 虚空的虚空，凡事都是虚空。
The Teacher says this. “Like a vapor of mist, like a breeze in the wind, everything vanishes, leaving many questions.
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 does mankind gain from all the work that they labor at under the sun?
4 一代过去，一代又来， 地却永远长存。
One generation goes, and another generation comes, but the earth remains forever.
5 日头出来，日头落下， 急归所出之地。
The sun rises, and it goes down and hurries back to the place where it rises again.
6 风往南刮，又向北转， 不住地旋转，而且返回转行原道。
The wind blows south and circles around to the north, always going around along its pathway and coming back again.
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 flow into the sea, but the sea is never full. To the place where the rivers go, there they go again.
8 万事令人厌烦， 人不能说尽。 眼看，看不饱； 耳听，听不足。
Everything becomes wearisome, and no one can explain it. The eye is not satisfied by what it sees, nor is the ear fulfilled by what it hears.
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。
Whatever has been is what will be, and whatever has been done is what will be done. There is nothing new 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 anything about which it may be said, 'Look, this is new'? Whatever exists has already existed for a long time, during ages which came long 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。
No one seems to remember the things that happened in ancient times, and the things that happened much later and that will happen in the future will not likely be remembered either.”
12 我传道者在耶路撒冷作过以色列的王。
I am the Teacher, and I have been king over Israel in 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。
I applied my mind to study and to search out by wisdom everything that is done under heaven. That search is a burdensome task that God has given to the children of mankind to be busy with.
14 我见日光之下所做的一切事，都是虚空，都是捕风。
I have seen all the deeds that are done under the sun, and look, they all amount to vapor and chasing the wind.
15 弯曲的，不能变直； 缺少的，不能足数。
The twisted cannot be straightened! The missing cannot be counted!
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 have spoken to my heart saying, “Look, I have acquired greater wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My mind has seen great wisdom and knowledge.”
17 我又专心察明智慧、狂妄，和愚昧，乃知这也是捕风。
So I applied my heart to know wisdom and also madness and folly. I came to understand that this also was an attempt to shepherd the 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 the abundance of wisdom there is much frustration, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
