Ecclesiastes

人生的虚空

1在耶路撒冷作王、大卫的儿子、传道者的言语。

2传道者说：虚空的虚空， 虚空的虚空，凡事都是虚空。

3人一切的劳碌， 就是他在日光之下的劳碌，有什么益处呢？

4一代过去，一代又来， 地却永远长存。

5日头出来，日头落下， 急归所出之地。

6风往南刮，又向北转， 不住地旋转，而且返回转行原道。

7江河都往海里流，海却不满； 江河从何处流，仍归还何处。

8万事令人厌烦， 人不能说尽。 眼看，看不饱； 耳听，听不足。

9已有的事后必再有； 已行的事后必再行。 日光之下并无新事。

10岂有一件事人能指着说这是新的？ 哪知，在我们以前的世代早已有了。

11已过的世代，无人记念； 将来的世代，后来的人也不记念。

传道者的经验

12我传道者在耶路撒冷作过以色列的王。

13我专心用智慧寻求、查究天下所做的一切事，乃知 神叫世人所经练的是极重的劳苦。

14我见日光之下所做的一切事，都是虚空，都是捕风。

15弯曲的，不能变直； 缺少的，不能足数。

16我心里议论说：我得了大智慧，胜过我以前在耶路撒冷的众人，而且我心中多经历智慧和知识的事。

17我又专心察明智慧、狂妄，和愚昧，乃知这也是捕风。

18因为多有智慧，就多有愁烦； 加增知识的，就加增忧伤。

1The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

2Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

3What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?

4One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.

5The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.

6The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.

7All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.

8All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

9The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

10Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.

11There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.

12¶ I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

13And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.

14I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

15That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.

16I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

17And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.

18For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.