Ecclesiastes 9

1 For all this I laid to my heart and [indeed] to investigate all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; man knoweth neither love nor hatred: all is before them.

我將這一切事放在心上，詳細考究，就知道義人和智慧人，並他們的作為都在上帝手中；或是愛，或是恨，都在他們的前面，人不能知道。

2 All things [come] alike to all: one event to the righteous and to the wicked, to the good, and to the clean, and to the unclean, to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

凡臨到眾人的事都是一樣：義人和惡人都遭遇一樣的事；好人，潔淨人和不潔淨人，獻祭的與不獻祭的，也是一樣。好人如何，罪人也如何；起誓的如何，怕起誓的也如何。

3 This is an evil among all that is done under the sun, that one thing befalleth all: yea, also the heart of the children of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live; and after that, [they have to go] to the dead.

在日光之下所行的一切事上有一件禍患，就是眾人所遭遇的都是一樣，並且世人的心充滿了惡；活着的時候心裏狂妄，後來就歸死人那裏去了。

4 For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

與一切活人相連的，那人還有指望，因為活着的狗比死了的獅子更強。

5 For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward, for the memory of them is forgotten.

活着的人知道必死；死了的人毫無所知，也不再得賞賜；他們的名無人記念。

6 Their love also, and their hatred, and their envy is already perished; neither have they any more for ever a portion in all that is done under the sun.

他們的愛，他們的恨，他們的嫉妒，早都消滅了。在日光之下所行的一切事上，他們永不再有分了。

7 Go, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God hath already accepted thy works.

你只管去歡歡喜喜吃你的飯，心中快樂喝你的酒，因為上帝已經悅納你的作為。

8 Let thy garments be always white, and let not thy head lack oil.

你的衣服當時常潔白，你頭上也不要缺少膏油。

9 Enjoy life with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity; for that is thy portion in life, and in thy labour wherein thou art labouring under the sun.

在你一生虛空的年日，就是上帝賜你在日光之下虛空的年日，當同你所愛的妻，快活度日，因為那是你生前在日光之下勞碌的事上所得的分。

10 Whatever thy hand findeth to do, do with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, whither thou goest. (Sheol h7585)

凡你手所當做的事要盡力去做；因為在你所必去的陰間沒有工作，沒有謀算，沒有知識，也沒有智慧。 (Sheol h7585)

11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to the intelligent, nor yet favour to men of knowledge; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

我又轉念：見日光之下，快跑的未必能贏；力戰的未必得勝；智慧的未必得糧食；明哲的未必得資財；靈巧的未必得喜悅。所臨到眾人的是在乎當時的機會。

12 For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are taken with the snare, like them are the children of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

原來人也不知道自己的定期。魚被惡網圈住，鳥被網羅捉住，禍患忽然臨到的時候，世人陷在其中也是如此。

13 This also have I seen as wisdom under the sun, and it was great unto me.

我見日光之下有一樣智慧，據我看乃是廣大，

14 There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and encompassed it, and built great bulwarks against it:

就是有一小城，其中的人數稀少，有大君王來攻擊，修築營壘，將城圍困。

15 and there was found in it a poor wise man, who by his wisdom delivered the city; but no man remembered that poor man.

城中有一個貧窮的智慧人，他用智慧救了那城，卻沒有人記念那窮人。

16 Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength; but the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

我就說，智慧勝過勇力；然而那貧窮人的智慧被人藐視，他的話也無人聽從。

17 The words of the wise are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.

寧可在安靜之中聽智慧人的言語，不聽掌管愚昧人的喊聲。

18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroyeth much good.

智慧勝過打仗的兵器；但一個罪人能敗壞許多善事。