Add parallel Print Page Options

12 在你壯年的日子,當記念你的創造主。不要等到衰敗的日子,就是你所說:“我毫無喜樂”的那些年日臨到, 日頭、光明、月亮、星宿變暗,雨後烏雲再現的時候。 那時,看守房子的發抖,強壯的彎腰,推磨的稀少,都停了工,往窗外看的都昏暗了, 當街的門口關閉,推磨的聲音微弱。雀鳥一叫,人就起來。唱歌的歌聲(“歌聲”原文作“女子”)都低微。 人怕高處,怕路上有驚嚇。杏樹開花,蚱蜢蹣跚而行,催情果失效。因為人歸他永遠的家,哭喪的在街上遊行。 銀鍊斷掉,金碗破裂,瓶子在泉旁破碎,打水的輪子在井邊破爛。 塵土要歸回原來之地,靈要歸回賜靈的 神。 傳道者說:“虛空的虛空,一切都是虛空。”

結論:敬畏 神,謹守誡命

傳道者不但有智慧,還將知識教訓眾人;他既揣摩,又查考,也編撰了許多箴言。 10 傳道者搜尋可喜悅的話,正確地寫下真理。

11 智慧人的言語像刺棒,他們所彙集的箴言像釘牢的釘子,都是一位牧者所賜的。 12 我兒,還有,你當受勸勉:著書多,沒有窮盡;讀書多,身體疲倦。

13 你們一切都聽見了,總而言之,應當敬畏 神,謹守他的誡命,因為這是每一個人的本分。 14 人所作的每一件事,連一切隱藏的事,無論是善是惡, 神都必審問。

12 Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain; in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look through the windows are dimmed, and the doors on the street are shut; when the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low; they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along[a] and desire fails; because man goes to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets; before the silver cord is snapped,[b] or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity.

Epilogue

Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging proverbs with great care. 10 The Preacher sought to find pleasing words, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.

11 The sayings of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings which are given by one Shepherd. 12 My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.[c] 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with[d] every secret thing, whether good or evil.

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 12:5 Or is a burden
  2. Ecclesiastes 12:6 Syr Vg Compare Gk: Heb is removed
  3. Ecclesiastes 12:13 Or the duty of all men
  4. Ecclesiastes 12:14 Or into the judgment on

12 Remember(A) your Creator
    in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble(B) come
    and the years approach when you will say,
    “I find no pleasure in them”—
before the sun and the light
    and the moon and the stars grow dark,
    and the clouds return after the rain;
when the keepers of the house tremble,
    and the strong men stoop,
when the grinders cease because they are few,
    and those looking through the windows grow dim;
when the doors to the street are closed
    and the sound of grinding fades;
when people rise up at the sound of birds,
    but all their songs grow faint;(C)
when people are afraid of heights
    and of dangers in the streets;
when the almond tree blossoms
    and the grasshopper drags itself along
    and desire no longer is stirred.
Then people go to their eternal home(D)
    and mourners(E) go about the streets.

Remember him—before the silver cord is severed,
    and the golden bowl is broken;
before the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
    and the wheel broken at the well,
and the dust returns(F) to the ground it came from,
    and the spirit returns to God(G) who gave it.(H)

“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher.[a](I)
    “Everything is meaningless!(J)

The Conclusion of the Matter

Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs.(K) 10 The Teacher(L) searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.(M)

11 The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails(N)—given by one shepherd.[b] 12 Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.

Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.(O)

13 Now all has been heard;
    here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God(P) and keep his commandments,(Q)
    for this is the duty of all mankind.(R)
14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,(S)
    including every hidden thing,(T)
    whether it is good or evil.

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 12:8 Or the leader of the assembly; also in verses 9 and 10
  2. Ecclesiastes 12:11 Or Shepherd

12 Acuérdate de tu Creador ahora que eres joven. No esperes a que vengan los días malos, y a que lleguen los años en que digas: «Vivir tanto no es motivo de regocijo.»

Hazlo antes de que el sol se oscurezca, y la luna y las estrellas dejen de brillar, y las nubes se disipen después de la lluvia.

Hazlo antes de que tiemblen los guardianes de la casa, y se encorven los guerreros, y disminuya el número de las molineras, y queden a oscuras los que miran por las ventanas.

Hazlo antes de que se cierren las puertas que dan a la calle, y el ruido del molino deje de oírse.

Hazlo antes de que las aves eleven sus trinos y ninguno de sus cantos pueda escucharse.

Luego vendrá el temor por las alturas y se experimentará terror en el camino; entonces el blanco almendro florecerá, la langosta resultará una carga, y hasta el apetito se perderá, porque el hombre va camino a su última morada, y por la calle andarán los que llorarán su muerte.

Hazlo antes de que se reviente la cadena de plata y se rompa la vasija de oro, y el cántaro se quiebre junto a la fuente, y junto al pozo se venza la polea. Entonces el polvo volverá a la tierra, de donde fue tomado, y el espíritu volverá a Dios, que lo dio.

¡Vanidad de vanidades! ¡Todo es vanidad!

—Palabras del Predicador.

Deberes del hombre

Mientras más sabio llegó a ser el Predicador, más conocimientos impartió a la gente. Ponderó, escudriñó y compuso muchos proverbios. 10 Además, el Predicador se esforzó por hallar palabras agradables y por escribir con precisión palabras verdaderas.

11 Las palabras de los sabios son como aguijones, y el conjunto de las palabras de los maestros, impartidas por un solo guía, son como clavos bien hincados.

12 Hijo mío, además de lo antes dicho, toma en cuenta que nunca se acaba de escribir muchos libros, y que el cuerpo se cansa de tanto estudiar. 13 Todo este discurso termina en lo siguiente: Teme a Dios, y cumple sus mandamientos. Eso es el todo del hombre. 14 Por lo demás, Dios habrá de juzgar toda obra, buena o mala, junto con toda acción encubierta.