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世事难测宜忠心勤劳

11 要把你的粮食撒在水面上,因为日久你必得回。 你要分为七份,或分为八份,因为你不知道将来会有甚么灾祸在地上发生。 云若充满水气,雨就倾倒在地上;树无论向南倒,或向北倒,倒在哪里,就横在哪里。 看风的,不撒种;观云的,不收割。 你不晓得风的路向,不知道骨头如何在孕妇胎中形成,照样,创造万物之 神的作为,你也不得而知。 早晨要撒你的种,直到黄昏也不要歇手;因为你不知道哪一样种得成,是早撒的,或晚撒的,或两者都一样好。

当趁壮年记念主

光是美好的,眼睛得见天日,也是好的。 人无论多长寿,都当乐在其中,不过他要想到黑暗的日子,因为这些日子将会很多;要来的,都是虚空的。

年轻人哪!你在幼年时要快乐,在壮年的日子,要使你的心欢畅;顺着你心所愿的,眼所见的去行。不过,你要知道,为了这一切事, 神必审问你。 10 所以你当除掉心中的烦恼,除去肉体的疾苦,因为无论是幼年或是壮年,都是虚空的。

11 当慷慨施舍[a]
因为日后必有收获。
当把你的资财分给多人,
因为你不知道日后会有什么灾难临到世上。
云中满了水,就会下雨。
树不论倒向南或倒向北,
倒在哪里就躺在哪里。
你若等待完美的天气,
必无法撒种,无法收割。

正如你不知道风的路线,不知道骨骼在母胎中如何形成,你也无法了解创造万物之上帝的作为。 你要早晚不停地撒种,因为你不知道什么时候撒的种子会发芽生长,或许所撒的都会带来收获。 光真美好,能够看见阳光真好! 人一生不论活多久,都要活得快乐,但不要忘记死后有许多黑暗的日子。将来的一切都是虚空。 年轻人啊,在年轻时要快乐,要在青春岁月里使自己的心欢畅。心里想做什么就去做,眼睛想看什么就去看。然而,要切记:上帝必照你所行的一切审判你。 10 所以,你要抛开心中的烦恼和肉体的痛苦,因为青春年华转瞬即逝。

Footnotes

  1. 11:1 当慷慨施舍”或译“当把你的资财投入海外贸易”。

Boldly Face the Future

11 Do good things everywhere you go.[a]
    After a while the good you do will return to help you.
Invest what you have in several different businesses.
    You don’t know what bad things might happen on earth.

If clouds are full of rain,
    they will pour water on the earth.
A tree can fall to the north or south.
    But it will stay where it falls.
If a person waits for perfect weather,
    he will never plant his seeds.
And if he is afraid that every cloud will bring rain,
    he will never harvest his crops.

You don’t know where the wind will blow.
    And you don’t know how a baby grows in its mother’s body.
In the same way, God certainly made all things.
    But you can’t understand what he is doing.
Begin planting early in the morning,
    and don’t stop working until evening.
This is because you don’t know which things you do will succeed.
    It is even possible that everything you do will succeed.

Serve God While You Are Young

It is good to be alive
    to enjoy the light of day.
A person ought to enjoy every day of his life.
    This is true no matter how long he lives.
But he should also remember this:
    You will be dead much longer than you live.
    After you are dead, you accomplish nothing.
Young people, enjoy yourselves while you are young.
    Be happy while you are young.
Do whatever your heart desires.
    Do whatever you want to do.
But remember that God will judge you
    for everything you do.
10 So avoid sorrow and sadness.
    Forget about all the bad things that happen to you.
    This is because the joys of youth pass quickly away.

Footnotes

  1. 11:1 Do good . . . go. Literally, “Throw your bread upon the water.”

Invest in Many Ventures

11 Ship(A) your grain across the sea;
    after many days you may receive a return.(B)
Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight;
    you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.

If clouds are full of water,
    they pour rain on the earth.
Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north,
    in the place where it falls, there it will lie.
Whoever watches the wind will not plant;
    whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.

As you do not know the path of the wind,(C)
    or how the body is formed[a] in a mother’s womb,(D)
so you cannot understand the work of God,
    the Maker of all things.

Sow your seed in the morning,
    and at evening let your hands not be idle,(E)
for you do not know which will succeed,
    whether this or that,
    or whether both will do equally well.

Remember Your Creator While Young

Light is sweet,
    and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.(F)
However many years anyone may live,
    let them enjoy them all.
But let them remember(G) the days of darkness,
    for there will be many.
    Everything to come is meaningless.

You who are young, be happy while you are young,
    and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth.
Follow the ways of your heart
    and whatever your eyes see,
but know that for all these things
    God will bring you into judgment.(H)
10 So then, banish anxiety(I) from your heart
    and cast off the troubles of your body,
    for youth and vigor are meaningless.(J)

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 11:5 Or know how life (or the spirit) / enters the body being formed