传道书 7
Chinese New Version (Simplified)
智者的选择
7 美名优于美好的膏油，
死亡的日子胜过诞生的日子。
2 往服丧之家，比往宴乐之家还好，
因为死是人人的结局，
活人要把这事放在心上。
3 忧愁胜于嬉笑，
因为面带愁容，能使内心得着好处。
4 智慧人的心在服丧之家，
愚昧人的心在欢乐之家。
5 听智慧人的斥责，
胜过听愚昧人的歌唱。
6 愚昧人的笑声，
就像锅底下荆棘的爆声一样。
这也是虚空。
7 勒索会使智慧人变为愚妄，
贿赂能败坏人心。
8 事情的结局胜于开端，
存心忍耐的，胜过居心骄傲的。
9 你心里不要轻易动怒，
因为恼怒留在愚昧人的胸怀中。
10 你不要说：“为甚么从前的日子胜过现在的呢？”
你这样问，不是出于智慧。
11 智慧与产业都是好的，
对得见天日的人是有益的。
12 因为受智慧的庇护，如同受银子的庇护。
唯有智慧能保全智慧人的生命，这就是知识的益处。
体察 神的心意行事
13 要观察 神的作为，
因为他所屈曲的，
谁能弄直呢？
14 在亨通的日子，应当享福；
遭遇患难的时候，就当省察。
神使这两样并存，
为了叫人查不出未来的事。
15 在我虚空的日子里，我见过这两件事：有义人行义反而灭亡，有恶人行恶倒享长寿。 16 不要过分公义，也不要太过有智慧，何必自取灭亡呢？ 17 不要过分作恶，也不要作愚昧人，何必时候未到就死？ 18 持守这个是好的，那个也不要放松，因为敬畏 神的人，都必避免这两个极端。
19 智慧使智慧人比城中十个官长更有能力。 20 世上实在没有一个行善而不犯罪的义人。 21 人所说的一切话，都不要放在心上，因你可能听见仆人咒骂你。 22 其实你心里明白，自己也曾多次咒骂别人。
23 这一切我都用智慧试验过。我说：“我要得智慧”，智慧却远离我。 24 那离得远又极深奥的，谁能找到呢？ 25 我转念，一心去了解、考察并寻觅智慧和事理，又要知道愚蒙是邪恶的，狂妄是愚昧的。 26 我发现一个比死亡更恶毒的妇人，她有如罗网，心如陷阱，手如锁炼。蒙 神喜悦的人得以摆脱她，罪人却被她缠住。
27 传道者说：“看哪！我发现了这件事，我一再揣摩，要找出事情的道理。 28 我的心仍在寻觅，却还找不到，就是在一千个男人中，我找到一个正直人，但在所有的女人中，连一个也找不到。 29 我所明白的，只有这件事： 神造人原是正直的，他们却找出许多巧计。”
Ecclesiastes 7
King James Version
7 A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.
2 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.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
7 Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.
8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
10 Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.
11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.
12 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.
13 Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
14 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.
15 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.
16 Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself ?
17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
18 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.
19 Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
21 Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:
22 For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
23 All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
24 That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?
25 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:
26 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.
27 Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:
28 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.
29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
Ecclesiastes 7
The Voice
7 Teacher: A good name is worth more than the finest perfume,
and the day you die is better than the day you were born.
2 In the same way, it is better to go to a funeral
than a celebration.
Why? because death is the end of life’s journey,
and the living should always take that to heart.
3 Sorrow beats foolish laughter;
embracing sadness somehow gladdens our hearts.
4 A wise heart is well acquainted with grief,
but a foolish heart seeks only pleasure’s company.
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise
than a song written by fools,
6 For the laughter of fools is like
the hiss and crackle of burning thorns beneath a pot.
This, too, is fleeting.
7 Oppression can turn the wise into fools,
and a bribe can damage the noblest heart.
8 Having the last word is better than having the first,
and patience will benefit you more than pride.
9 Do not be quick to anger,
for anger sits comfortably in the lap of fools.
10 Do not ask, “Where have all the good times gone?”
Wisdom knows better than to ask such a thing.
11 It is good to have wisdom along with an inheritance;
they give a clear advantage to those who see the sun.
12 For together wisdom and money are alike in this:
both offer protection from life’s misfortunes,
But the real advantage of knowledge is this:
wisdom alone preserves the lives of those who have it.
13 Think for a moment about the work of God.
Can anyone make straight what God has made crooked?
Often wisdom invites us to ponder great questions. The question, “Can anyone make straight what God has made crooked?” echoes the words of 1:15—“Something crooked cannot be made straight.” Only God can determine what is and what is not. God makes our paths crooked or straight. And we often do not understand why one person’s way is straight and another’s is crooked. The message of the teacher is simple: reverence God regardless of the path you have been given to walk.
14 Teacher: When times are good,
enjoy them and be happy.
When times are bad,
think about this:
God makes both good and bad times,
so that no one really knows what is coming next.
15 In the fleeting time I have lived on this earth, I have seen just about everything: the good dying in their goodness and the wicked living to a ripe old age. 16 So my advice? Do not act overly righteous, and do not think yourself wiser than others. Why go and ruin yourself? 17 But do not be too wicked or foolish either. Why die before it’s your time? 18 Grasp both sides of things and keep the two in balance; for anyone who fears God won’t give in to the extremes.[a]
After each act of creation in Genesis 1, “God saw that His new creation was beautiful and good.” When creation is nearly complete, God not only declares it “good” but is described as “savoring its beauty and appreciating its goodness” (Genesis 1:31). In the creation account recorded in Genesis 2, God places the tree of the knowledge of “good and evil” in the garden and commands the first couple not to eat of the tree. But that is precisely what they do; and in the act of eating, they gain knowledge of good and knowledge of what the absence of good brings. Adam and Eve’s children live with this dichotomy. For example, when Cain is distressed over God’s choice of Abel’s offering over his, God says to Cain, “Don’t you know that as long as you do what is right, then I accept you? But if you do not do what is right, watch out, because sin is crouching at the door, ready to pounce on you!” (Genesis 4:7). The temptation to scheme—that is, to do the “evil” rather than the “good”—begins with the first human pair; the teacher of Ecclesiastes reminds his readers that the same temptation still exists.
19 Wisdom is more powerful to a wise person than 10 rulers in a city.
20 There is not a righteous person on earth who always does good and never sins.
21 Don’t take to heart all that people say;
eventually you may hear your servant curse you.
22 And face it, your heart has overheard how often you’ve cursed others.
23 I have tested all of these sayings against wisdom. I promised myself, “I will become wise,” but wisdom kept its distance. 24 True wisdom remains elusive; its profound mysteries are remote. Who can discover it?
25 So I turned and dedicated my heart to knowing more, to digging deeper, to searching harder for wisdom and the reasons things are as they are. I applied myself to understanding the connection between wickedness and folly, between folly and madness. 26 Along this journey, I discovered something more bitter than death—a seductive woman. Her heart is a trap and net. Her hands shackle your wrists. Those who seek to please God will escape her clutches, but sinners will be caught in her trap. 27 Look at this! After investigating the matter thoroughly to find out why things are as they are, 28 I realize that although I kept on searching, I have not found what I am looking for. Only one man in a thousand have I found, but I could not find a single woman among all of these who knows this. 29 Here is what I have figured out: God made humanity for good, but we humans go out and scheme our way into trouble.
Footnotes
- 7:18 Meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.