Print Page Options Listen to 传道书 6

我看见日光之下有一件可悲的事,重重地压在人身上: 上帝赐给人财富和尊荣,叫他拥有所渴望的一切,却使他无法享用,倒让别人享用。这是虚空,是极大的悲哀。 人若有一百个儿子,并且长寿,但心中却从未得到满足,死后又不得安葬。唉!这样的人还不如流产的胎儿。 这胎儿在虚空中来,在黑暗中去,名字隐没在黑暗中, 没有见过天日,一无所知,然而这胎儿比那人更享安息。 就算那人活了千年,又活千年,却不能享受福乐,又如何呢?世人最终岂不都同归一处吗? 人人为口腹劳碌,却永不满足。 那么,智者比愚人有什么优势呢?贫穷人即使懂得如何处世,又有什么益处呢? 满足于眼前所有的,胜过心中贪想的。这也是虚空,如同捕风。 10 一切存在的事物都已有了名字,人的本质也被识透了;人无法与比他更强的较量。 11 其实话越多,越虚空,这对人又有什么益处? 12 人生短暂虚空,如影飞逝,有谁知道什么对人有益?谁能告诉人死后日光之下会发生什么事?

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:

A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.

For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.

Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other.

Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?

All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

10 That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.

11 Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?

12 For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?

Wealth Is Not the Goal of Life

There(A) is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men: A man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor, (B)so that he lacks nothing for himself of all he desires; (C)yet God does not give him power to eat of it, but a foreigner consumes it. This is vanity, and it is an evil [a]affliction.

If a man begets a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with goodness, or (D)indeed he has no burial, I say that (E)a [b]stillborn child is better than he— for it comes in vanity and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness. Though it has not seen the sun or known anything, this has more rest than that man, even if he lives a thousand years twice—but has not seen goodness. Do not all go to one (F)place?

(G)All the labor of man is for his mouth,
And yet the soul is not satisfied.
For what more has the wise man than the fool?
What does the poor man have,
Who knows how to walk before the living?
Better is [c]the (H)sight of the eyes than the wandering of [d]desire.
This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.

10 Whatever one is, he has been named (I)already,
For it is known that he is man;
(J)And he cannot contend with Him who is mightier than he.
11 Since there are many things that increase vanity,
How is man the better?

12 For who knows what is good for man in life, [e]all the days of his [f]vain life which he passes like (K)a shadow? (L)Who can tell a man what will happen after him under the sun?

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 6:2 disease
  2. Ecclesiastes 6:3 Or miscarriage
  3. Ecclesiastes 6:9 What the eyes see
  4. Ecclesiastes 6:9 Lit. soul
  5. Ecclesiastes 6:12 Lit. the number of the days
  6. Ecclesiastes 6:12 futile

(A)There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind: a man (B)to whom (C)God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he (D)lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God (E)does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity;[a] it is a grievous evil. If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that (F)the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with life's (G)good things, and he also has no (H)burial, I say that (I)a stillborn child is better off than he. For it comes in vanity and goes in darkness, and in darkness its name is covered. Moreover, it has not (J)seen the sun or known anything, yet it finds (K)rest rather than he. Even though he should live a thousand years twice over, yet enjoy[b] no good—do not all go to the one place?

(L)All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied.[c] For what advantage has the wise man (M)over the fool? And what does the poor man have who knows how to conduct himself before the living? Better (N)is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is (O)vanity and a striving after wind.

10 Whatever has come to be has (P)already been named, and it is known what man is, and that he is not able to (Q)dispute with one stronger than he. 11 The more words, the more vanity, and what is the advantage to man? 12 For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his (R)vain[d] life, which he passes like (S)a shadow? For who can tell man what will be (T)after him under the sun?

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 6:2 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath”; also verses 4, 9, 11 (see note on 1:2)
  2. Ecclesiastes 6:6 Or see
  3. Ecclesiastes 6:7 Hebrew filled
  4. Ecclesiastes 6:12 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath” (see note on 1:2)

The Futility of Life

There is an (A)evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is widespread [a]among mankind: a person to whom God has (B)given riches, wealth, and honor, so that his soul (C)lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God has not given him the opportunity to [b]enjoy these things, but a foreigner [c]enjoys them. This is futility and a severe affliction. If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, however many [d]they may be, but his soul is not satisfied with good things and he does not even have a proper (D)burial, then I say, “Better (E)the miscarriage than he, for a miscarriage comes in futility and goes into darkness; and its name is covered in darkness. It has not even seen the sun nor does it know it; yet [e]it is better off than that man. Even if the man lives a thousand years twice, but does not see good things—(F)do not all go to one and the same place?”

(G)All a person’s labor is for his mouth, and yet [f]his appetite is not [g]satisfied. For (H)what advantage does the wise person have over the fool? What does the poor person have, knowing how to walk before the living? What the eyes (I)see is better than what the soul [h]desires. This too is (J)futility and striving after wind.

10 Whatever (K)exists has already been named, and it is known what man is; for he (L)cannot dispute with the [i]one who is mightier than he is. 11 For there are many words which increase futility. What then is the advantage to a person? 12 For who knows what is good for a person during his lifetime, during the few [j]years of his futile life? He will [k]spend them like a shadow. For who can tell a person (M)what will happen after him under the sun?

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 6:1 Lit upon
  2. Ecclesiastes 6:2 Lit eat from it
  3. Ecclesiastes 6:2 Lit eats it
  4. Ecclesiastes 6:3 Lit the days of his years
  5. Ecclesiastes 6:5 Lit more rest has this one than that
  6. Ecclesiastes 6:7 Lit the soul
  7. Ecclesiastes 6:7 Lit filled
  8. Ecclesiastes 6:9 Lit goes after
  9. Ecclesiastes 6:10 Or Him who
  10. Ecclesiastes 6:12 Lit days
  11. Ecclesiastes 6:12 Lit do