传道书 第 11 章

¹当将你的粮食撒在水面，因为日久必能得着。Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.

²你要分给七人，或分给八人，因为你不知道将来有甚么灾祸临到地上。Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.

³云若满了雨，就必倾倒在地上。树若向南倒，或向北倒，树倒在何处，就存在何处。If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.

⁴看风的，必不撒种；望云的，必不收割。He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.

⁵风从何道来，骨头在怀孕妇人的胎中如何长成，你尚且不得知道；这样，行万事之神的作为，你更不得知道。As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.

⁶早晨要撒你的种，晚上也不要歇你的手，因为你不知道哪一样发旺；或是早撒的，或是晚撒的，或是两样都好。In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

⁷光本是佳美的，眼见日光也是可悦的。Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun:

⁸人活多年，就当快乐多年；然而也当想到黑暗的日子。因为这日子必多，所要来的都是虚空。But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.

⁹少年人哪，你在幼年时当快乐。在幼年的日子，使你的心欢畅，行你心所愿行的，看你眼所爱看的；却要知道，为这一切的事，神必审问你。Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.

¹⁰所以，你当从心中除掉愁烦，从肉体克去邪恶；因为一生的开端和幼年之时，都是虚空的。Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.