向左走的我

1:1 在耶路撒冷作王，大衛的兒子，傳道者的言語。

The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.



在New International Version裡面，這句的Preacher用簡單的Teacher替代，也就是所羅門王說的意思。


1:2 傳道者說﹔虛空的虛空、虛空的虛空，凡事都是虛空。

Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.



其實這句是我今天看到覺得最有意思的一句話。在INV裡面，這句是"Meaningless!Meaningless!"says the Teacher. "Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless."
當然INV的文字是比較好懂的，但是標準版的比較有味道。Vanity of vanities對我來說聽起來比較有智慧，Meaningless!Meaningless感覺起來比較像是老人家的碎碎念。而且這句話對我來說與佛家的"四大皆空"可以做個對照。很難得在聖經裡面發現跟東方的禪思
可以互相呼應的部分。另一方面，所羅門王的時代是以色列的盛世，但是他卻用這麼負面的字眼，感覺起來像是說俗世的一切都是虛幻的，唯有上帝的旨意長存。



1:3 人一切的勞碌，就是他在日光之下的勞碌，有甚麼益處呢？

What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?



此句聽起來相當的消極。對照下面幾句，我想他的意思應該是指人類汲汲營營於世俗的東西，卻從未想過其意義。



1:4 一代過去，一代又來。地卻永遠長存。

One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.

1:5 日頭出來，日頭落下，急歸所出之地。

The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.

1:6 風往南颳，又向北轉，不住的旋轉，而且返回轉行原道。

The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.

1:7 江河都往海裡流，海卻不滿。江河從何處流，仍歸還何處

All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.

1:8 萬事令人厭煩，人不能說盡。眼看，看不飽，耳聽，聽不足。

All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied

with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

1:9 已有的事，後必再有。已行的事，後必再行。日光之下並無新事。

The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done

is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

1:10豈有一件事人能指著說，這是新的。那知，在我們以前的世代，早已有了。

Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been

already of old time, which was before us.

1:11已過的世代，無人記念，將來的世代，後來的人也不記念。

There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any

remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.



好吧!所羅門王不愧是當時最有智慧的人，原來日光之下沒有新鮮事就是他說的。這裡說到萬物皆有規律，我覺得他同時也暗指一般人並不會覺知這些東西，只是庸庸碌碌的過日子



1:12我傳道者在耶路撒冷作過以色列的王。

I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

1:13我專心用智慧，尋求查究天下所作的一切事，乃知 神叫世人所經練的，是極重的勞苦。

And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of

man to be exercised therewith.

1:14我見日光之下所作的一切事，都是虛空，都是捕風。

I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

1:15彎曲的不能變直，缺少的不能足數。

That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.

1:16我心裡議論說，我得了大智慧，勝過我以前在耶路撒冷的眾人。而且我心中多經歷智慧，和知識的事。

I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem:yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge

1:17我又專心察明智慧、狂妄和愚昧。乃知這也是捕風。

And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.

1:18因為多有智慧，就多有愁煩。加增知識的，就加增憂傷。

For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

這裡又恢復了悲觀的語氣，他談到自己應該算是很有權威性的人了∼∼也是啦，有錢有權有腦袋，∼∼雖然比一般人更有智慧洞察世事，但是並沒有因此比較快樂。笨蛋和智者都是虛無縹緲的概念，而且知道的越多越糟糕。這點到是滿有道家的味道的，不過他要說的概念應該跟道家還是有所差距。我想他主要要談的是，智者因為看得清楚

而痛苦，因為凡人不能解決的事情太多了，所以人類是有極限，在此可以對照出上帝的無限。他自己曾身居高位，大概人類能擁有他全有了，但是他並不能因此而滿足，在佛家來說是他沒能放下世俗，在基督教來說他大概就是太仗著自己的優勢，忘卻人類的渺小，而最終他的權勢地位並不能帶給他什麼，兩種概念都在於他的內在是不足的。

佛家經由放下看破而解脫，而基督教藉由承認順服而獲得平安喜樂


好啦..今天算是做足功課了...這樣英文也算有念到吧！