舊約 -- 傳道書(Ecclesiastes) -- 第7章
7:1 名譽強如美好的膏油。人死的日子,勝過人生的日子。
A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.
7:2 往遭喪的家去,強如往宴樂的家去,因為死是眾人的結局。活人也必將這事放在心上。
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.
7:3 憂愁強如喜笑,因為面帶愁容,終必使心喜樂。
Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
7:4 智慧人的心,在遭喪之家。愚昧人的心,在快樂之家。
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
7:5 聽智慧人的責備,強如聽愚昧人的歌唱。
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
7:6 愚昧人的笑聲,好像鍋下燒荊棘的爆聲,這也是虛空。
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
7:7 勒索使智慧人變為愚妄。賄賂能敗壞人的慧心。
Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.
7:8 事情的終局,強如事情的起頭。存心忍耐的,勝過居心驕傲的。
Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
7:9 你不要心里急躁惱怒,因為惱怒存在愚昧人的懷中。
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
7:10 不要說,先前的日子強過如今的日子,是什么緣故呢。你這樣問,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.
7:11 智慧和產業并好。而且見天日的人,得智慧更為有益。
Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.
7:12 因為智慧護庇人,好像銀錢護庇人一樣。惟獨智慧能保全智慧人的生命,這就是知識的益處。
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.
7:13 你要察看神的作為,因為神使為曲的,誰能變為直呢。
Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
7:14 遇亨通的日子,你當喜樂。遭患難的日子,你當思想。因為神使這兩樣并列,為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.
7:15 有義人行義,反致滅亡。有惡人行惡,倒享長壽。這都是我在虛度之日中所見過的。
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.
7:16 不要行義過分。也不要過于自逞智慧。何必自取敗亡呢。
Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself ?
7:17 不要行惡過分。也不要為人愚昧。何必不到期而死呢。
Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
7:18 你持守這個為美。那個也不要松手。因為敬畏神的人,必從這兩樣出來。
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.
7:19 智慧使有智慧的人,比城中十個官長更有能力。
Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
7:20 時常行善而不犯罪的義人,世上實在沒有。
For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
7:21 人所說的一切話,你不要放在心上,恐怕聽見你的仆人咒詛你。
Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:
7:22 因為你心里知道,自己也曾屢次咒詛別人。
For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
7:23 我曾用智慧試驗這一切事。我說,要得智慧,智慧卻離我遠。
All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
7:24 萬事之理離我甚遠,而且最深,誰能測透呢。
That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?
7:25 我轉念,一心要知道,要考察,要尋求智慧,和萬事的理由。又要知道邪惡為愚昧,愚昧為狂妄。
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:
7:26 我得知有等婦人,比死還苦,她的心是網羅,手是鎖練。凡蒙神喜悅的人,必能躲避她。
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.
7:27 有罪的人,卻被她纏住了。
Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:
7:28 傳道者說,看哪,一千男子中,我找到一個正直人。但眾女子中,沒有找到一個。我將這事一一比較,要尋求其理,我心仍要尋梢,卻未曾找到。
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.
7:29 我所找到的,只有一件,就是神造人原是正直,但他們尋出許多巧計。
Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
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