1我仔细思想、探究这些事，就知道义人、智者及他们的行事为人都由上帝掌管，人无法知道前面等待自己的是爱还是恨。 2义人和恶人、好人和坏人、洁净的和污秽的、献祭的和不献祭的、行善的和犯罪的、敢于起誓的和不敢起誓的人，最终的命运都一样。 3在日光之下有一件可悲的事，就是人最终的命运都一样。再者，人内心都充满邪恶，活着的时候行事狂妄，最后都步入死亡。 4有生命就有希望，一条活狗总比一头死狮子强。 5因为活着的人还知道自己终有一死，但死了的人什么都不知道，再也得不到任何赏赐，他们被忘得一干二净。 6他们的爱、恨和嫉妒早已不复存在，他们再也无法参与日光之下的事。
7去欢欢喜喜、快快乐乐地吃喝吧！因为上帝已经悦纳你所做的。 8你的衣服要经常保持洁白，头上也不要缺少膏油。 9在你虚空的人生中，就是在上帝所赐、日光之下虚空的岁月里，你要与爱妻快乐度日，因为这是你一生在日光之下的劳碌中所当得的。 10凡你的手能做的，都要尽力去做，因为在你要去的阴间没有工作，没有计划，也没有知识和智慧。 11我又发现，日光之下，跑得快的未必能得奖，强大的未必能得胜，智者未必得温饱，聪明人未必有财富，博学者未必受爱戴，因为时机和境遇左右众人。 12再者，人无法知道何时大难临头。祸患突然临到时，人根本无法摆脱，就像鱼落入险恶的网中，又像鸟儿陷入网罗。 13我看见日光之下有一种智慧，对我来说意义深远。 14有一个势力强大的君王来攻击一个人口不多的小城，他建造营垒围困这城。 15这城里有一个贫穷的智者，他用智慧拯救了这城，但事后人们却把他遗忘了。 16我认为智慧胜过武力，然而那位穷人的智慧却被轻视，他所说的话也无人理会。 17智者的细语胜过官长在愚人中的喊叫。 18智慧胜过兵器，但一个罪人却能破坏许多善事。
Everyone Dies
1I thought about all these things. I realized that those who are wise and do what is right are under God’s control. What they do is also under his control. But no one knows whether they will be loved or hated. 2Everyone will die someday. Death comes to godly and sinful people alike. It comes to good and bad people alike. It comes to “clean” and “unclean” people alike. Those who offer sacrifices and those who don’t offer them also die.
A good person dies,
and so does a sinner.
Those who make promises die.
So do those who are afraid to make them.
3Here’s what is so bad about everything that happens on this earth. Death catches up with all of us. Also, the hearts of people are full of evil. They live in foolish pleasure. After that, they join those who have already died. 4Anyone who is still living has hope. Even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!
5People who are still alive know they’ll die.
But those who have died don’t know anything.
They don’t receive any more rewards.
And even their name is forgotten.
6Their love, hate and jealousy disappear.
They will never share again
in anything that happens on earth.
7Go and enjoy your food. Be joyful as you drink your wine. God has already approved what you do. 8Always wear white clothes to show you are happy. Anoint your head with olive oil. 9You love your wife. So enjoy life with her. Do it all the days of this meaningless life God has given you on earth. That’s what he made you for. That’s what you get for all your hard work on earth. 10No matter what you do, work at it with all your might. Remember, you are going to the place of the dead. And there isn’t any work or planning or knowledge or wisdom there.
11Here’s something else I’ve seen on this earth.
Races aren’t always won by those who run fast.
Battles aren’t always won by those who are strong.
Wise people don’t always have plenty of food.
Clever people aren’t always wealthy.
Those who have learned a lot aren’t always successful.
God controls the timing of every event.
He also controls how things turn out.
12No one knows when trouble will come to them.
Fish are caught in nets.
Birds are taken in traps.
And people are trapped by hard times
that come when they don’t expect them.
Being Wise Is Better Than Being Foolish
13Here’s something else I saw on this earth. I saw an example of wisdom that touched me deeply. 14There was once a small city. Only a few people lived there. A powerful king attacked it. He brought in war machines all around it. 15A certain man lived in that city. He was poor but wise. He used his wisdom to save the city. But no one remembered that poor man. 16So I said, “It’s better to be wise than to be powerful.” But people look down on the poor man’s wisdom. No one pays any attention to what he says.
17People should listen to the quiet words
of those who are wise.
That’s better than paying attention to the shouts
of a ruler of foolish people.
18Wisdom is better than weapons of war.
But one sinner destroys a lot of good.
