Ecclesiastes 1 There is another evil which I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily upon man: 我看见在太阳下,另有一种不幸,重压在人身上: 2 there is the man to whom God gives riches and property and honor, so that he lacks none of all the things he craves; yet God does not grant him power to partake of them, but a stranger devours them. This is vanity and a dire plague. 有一人,天主赐他富裕、钱财、光荣;凡他心中所愿意的,一件也不缺;但天主没有让他享用这一切,却让外人享用了:这也是空虚,是一件很悲惨的事。 3 1 Should a man have a hundred children and live many years, no matter to what great age, still if he has not the full benefit of his goods, or if he is deprived of burial, of this man I proclaim that the child born dead is more fortunate than he. 有一人生有百子,活了很大岁数,他年纪虽高,却没有随心享受福乐,且未得安葬,照我看来,他还不如流产的胎儿。 4 Though it came in vain and goes into darkness and its name is enveloped in darkness; 流产的胎儿徒然而来,悄然而去,他的名字也湮没无闻; 5 though it has not seen or known the sun, yet the dead child is at rest rather than such a man. 他没有见过天日,也没有任何知觉,但他总比那人更享安宁。 6 2 Should he live twice a thousand years and not enjoy his goods, do not both go to the same place? 那人即便活了两千岁,如未享受福乐,他们二人岂不是同归一处? 7 3 All man's toil is for his mouth, yet his desire is not fulfilled. 人的一切劳碌都是为了口腹,但他的欲望却总不满足。 8 For what advantage has the wise man over the fool, or what advantage has the poor man in knowing how to conduct himself in life? 智者对愚者究有什么利益?知道如何与人往来的穷人,能得什么好处? 9 4 "What the eyes see is better than what the desires wander after." This also is vanity and a chase after wind. 眼看见过的总胜过心所想望的:这也是空虚,也是追风。 10 5 Whatever is, was long ago given its name, and the nature of man is known, and that he cannot contend in judgment with one who is stronger than he. 已往所有的,都已有名可称;人为何物,都已知道;人决不能与强于己者相抗辩。 11 For though there are many sayings that multiply vanity, what profit is there for a man? 12 For who knows what is good for a man in life, the limited days of his vain life (which God has made like a shadow)? Because-who is there to tell a man what will come after him under the sun? 在空虚,消逝如影的人生少数岁月内,有谁知道什么事对人有益?又有谁能给人指示,他身后在太阳下要发生什么事? Footnotes(注解) 1 [3] A large family, a long life, an honorable burial, all were highly esteemed by the Hebrews, and it was considered a great misfortune to be deprived of them. 2 [6] Same place: the grave. 3 [7] Mouth: appetite, and therefore, body. 4 [9] Better . . . wander after: the good that is present to us is better than that which is absent and, perhaps, unattainable. 5 [10] The one who is stronger than man is God. |