Ecclesiastes

1我见日光之下有一宗祸患重压在人身上，

2就是人蒙 神赐他资财、丰富、尊荣，以致他心里所愿的一样都不缺，只是 神使他不能吃用，反有外人来吃用。这是虚空，也是祸患。

3人若生一百个儿子，活许多岁数，以致他的年日甚多，心里却不得满享福乐，又不得埋葬；据我说，那不到期而落的胎比他倒好。

4因为虚虚而来，暗暗而去，名字被黑暗遮蔽，

5并且没有见过天日，也毫无知觉；这胎，比那人倒享安息。

6那人虽然活千年，再活千年，却不享福，众人岂不都归一个地方去吗？

7人的劳碌都为口腹，心里却不知足。

8这样看来，智慧人比愚昧人有什么长处呢？穷人在众人面前知道如何行，有什么长处呢？

9眼睛所看的比心里妄想的倒好。这也是虚空，也是捕风。

10先前所有的，早已起了名，并知道何为人，他也不能与那比自己力大的相争。

11加增虚浮的事既多，这与人有什么益处呢？

12人一生虚度的日子，就如影儿经过，谁知道什么与他有益呢？谁能告诉他身后在日光之下有什么事呢？

The Futility of Life

1There is another evil I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily upon mankind:

2God gives a man riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires; but God does not allow him to enjoy them. Instead, a stranger will enjoy them. This is futile and a grievous affliction.

3A man may father a hundred children and live for many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he is unsatisfied with his prosperity and does not even receive a proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.

4For a stillborn child enters in futility and departs in darkness, and his name is shrouded in obscurity.

5The child, though neither seeing the sun nor knowing anything, has more rest than that man,

6even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?

7All a man’s labor is for his mouth,yet his appetite is never satisfied.

8What advantage, then, has the wise man over the fool? What gain comes to the poor man who knows how to conduct himself before others?

9Better what the eye can see than the wandering of desire. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

10Whatever exists was named long ago, and it is known what man is; but he cannot contend with one stronger than he.

11For the more words, the more futility—and how does that profit anyone?

12For who knows what is good for a man during the few days in which he passes through his fleeting life like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will come after him under the sun?