旧约--传道书(Ecclesiastes)--第 7 章
7:1 名誉强如美好的膏油。人死的日子，胜过人生的日子。
A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.
7:2 往遭丧的家去，强如往宴乐的家去，因为死是众人的结局。活人也必将这事放在心上。
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 忧愁强如喜笑，因为面带愁容，终必使心喜乐。
Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
7:4 智慧人的心，在遭丧之家。愚昧人的心，在快乐之家。
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
7:5 听智慧人的责备，强如听愚昧人的歌唱。
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
7:6 愚昧人的笑声，好像锅下烧荆棘的爆声，这也是虚空。
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
7:7 勒索使智慧人变为愚妄。贿赂能败坏人的慧心。
Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.
7:8 事情的终局，强如事情的起头。存心忍耐的，胜过居心骄傲的。
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 你不要心里急躁恼怒，因为恼怒存在愚昧人的怀中。
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
7:10 不要说，先前的日子强过如今的日子，是什么缘故呢。你这样问，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 智慧和产业并好。而且见天日的人，得智慧更为有益。
Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.
7:12 因为智慧护庇人，好像银钱护庇人一样。惟独智慧能保全智慧人的生命，这就是知识的益处。
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 你要察看神的作为，因为神使为曲的，谁能变为直呢。
Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
7:14 遇亨通的日子，你当喜乐。遭患难的日子，你当思想。因为神使这两样并列，为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 有义人行义，反致灭亡。有恶人行恶，倒享长寿。这都是我在虚度之日中所见过的。
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 不要行义过分。也不要过于自逞智慧。何必自取败亡呢。
Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself ?
7:17 不要行恶过分。也不要为人愚昧。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 你持守这个为美。那个也不要松手。因为敬畏神的人，必从这两样出来。
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，比城中十个官长更有能力。
Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
7:20 时常行善而不犯罪的义人，世上实在没有。
For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
7:21 人所说的一切话，你不要放在心上，恐怕听见你的仆人咒诅你。
Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:
7:22 因为你心里知道，自己也曾屡次咒诅别人。
For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
7:23 我曾用智慧试验这一切事。我说，要得智慧，智慧却离我远。
All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
7:24 万事之理离我甚远，而且最深，谁能测透呢。
That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?
7:25 我转念，一心要知道，要考察，要寻求智慧，和万事的理由。又要知道邪恶为愚昧，愚昧为狂妄。
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 我得知有等妇人，比死还苦，她的心是网罗，手是锁练。凡蒙神喜悦的人，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，却被她缠住了。
Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:
7:28 传道者说，看哪，一千男子中，我找到一个正直人。但众女子中，没有找到一个。我将这事一一比较，要寻求其理，我心仍要寻梢，却未曾找到。
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，但他们寻出许多巧计。
Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.