传道书 7
1 名誉强如美好的膏油；人死的日子胜过人生的日子。
A good name [is] better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
2 往遭丧的家去， 强如往宴乐的家去； 因为死是众人的结局， 活人也必将这事放在心上。
[It is] better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that [is] the end of all men; and the living will lay [it] to his heart.
3 忧愁强如喜笑； 因为面带愁容，终必使心喜乐。
Sorrow [is] better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
4 智慧人的心在遭丧之家； 愚昧人的心在快乐之家。
The heart of the wise [is] in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools [is] in the house of mirth.
5 听智慧人的责备， 强如听愚昧人的歌唱。
[It is] better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6 愚昧人的笑声， 好像锅下烧荆棘的爆声； 这也是虚空。
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so [is] the laughter of the fool: this also [is] vanity.
7 勒索使智慧人变为愚妄； 贿赂能败坏人的慧心。
Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.
8 事情的终局强如事情的起头； 存心忍耐的，胜过居心骄傲的。
Better [is] the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: [and] the patient in spirit [is] better than the proud in spirit.
9 你不要心里急躁恼怒， 因为恼怒存在愚昧人的怀中。
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
10 不要说： 先前的日子强过如今的日子， 是什么缘故呢？ 你这样问，不是出于智慧。
Say not thou, What is [the cause] that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.
11 智慧和产业并好， 而且见天日的人得智慧更为有益。
Wisdom [is] good with an inheritance: and [by it there is] profit to them that see the sun.
12 因为智慧护庇人， 好像银钱护庇人一样。 惟独智慧能保全智慧人的生命。 这就是知识的益处。
For wisdom [is] a defence, [and] money [is] a defence: but the excellency of knowledge [is, that] wisdom giveth life to them that have it.
13 你要察看 神的作为； 因 神使为曲的，谁能变为直呢？
Consider the work of God: for who can make [that] straight, which he hath made crooked?
14 遇亨通的日子你当喜乐；遭患难的日子你当思想；因为 神使这两样并列，为的是叫人查不出身后有什么事。
In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.
15 有义人行义，反致灭亡；有恶人行恶，倒享长寿。这都是我在虚度之日中所见过的。
All [things] have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just [man] that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked [man] that prolongeth [his life] in his wickedness.
16 不要行义过分，也不要过于自逞智慧，何必自取败亡呢？
Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
17 不要行恶过分，也不要为人愚昧，何必不到期而死呢？
Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
18 你持守这个为美，那个也不要松手；因为敬畏 神的人，必从这两样出来。
[It is] good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.
19 智慧使有智慧的人比城中十个官长更有能力。
Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty [men] which are in the city.
20 时常行善而不犯罪的义人，世上实在没有。
For [there is] not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
21 人所说的一切话，你不要放在心上，恐怕听见你的仆人咒诅你。
Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:
22 因为你心里知道，自己也曾屡次咒诅别人。
For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
23 我曾用智慧试验这一切事；我说，要得智慧，智慧却离我远。
All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it [was] far from me.
24 万事之理，离我甚远，而且最深，谁能测透呢？
That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?
25 我转念，一心要知道，要考察，要寻求智慧和万事的理由；又要知道邪恶为愚昧，愚昧为狂妄。
I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason [of things], and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness [and] madness:
26 我得知有等妇人比死还苦：她的心是网罗，手是锁链。凡蒙 神喜悦的人必能躲避她；有罪的人却被她缠住了。
And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart [is] snares and nets, [and] her hands [as] bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
27 传道者说：“看哪，一千男子中，我找到一个正直人，但众女子中，没有找到一个。”我将这事一一比较，要寻求其理，我心仍要寻找，却未曾找到。
Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, [counting] one by one, to find out the account:
Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
29 我所找到的只有一件，就是 神造人原是正直，但他们寻出许多巧计。
Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
