傳道書5:8-20

5:8 你若在一省之中見窮人受欺壓，並奪去公義公平的事，不要因此詫異；因有一位高過居高位的鑑察，在他們以上還有更高的。
5:9 況且地的益處歸眾人，就是君王也受田地的供應。
5:10 貪愛銀子的，不因得銀子知足；貪愛豐富的，也不因得利益知足。這也是虛空。
5:11 貨物增添，吃的人也增添，物主得甚麼益處呢？不過眼看而已！
5:12 勞碌的人不拘吃多吃少，睡得香甜；富足人的豐滿卻不容他睡覺。
5:13 我見日光之下有一宗大禍患，就是財主積存資財，反害自己。
5:14 因遭遇禍患，這些資財就消滅；那人若生了兒子，手裡也一無所有。
5:15 他怎樣從母胎赤身而來，也必照樣赤身而去；他所勞碌得來的，手中分毫不能帶去。
5:16 他來的情形怎樣，他去的情形也怎樣。這也是一宗大禍患。他為風勞碌有甚麼益處呢？
5:17 並且他終身在黑暗中吃喝，多有煩惱，又有病患嘔氣。
5:18 我所見為善為美的，就是人在上帝賜他一生的日子吃喝，享受日光之下勞碌得來的好處，因為這是他的分。
5:19 上帝賜人資財豐富，使他能以吃用，能取自己的分，在他勞碌中喜樂，這乃是上帝的恩賜。
5:20 他不多思念自己一生的年日，因為上帝應他的心使他喜樂。

 ⁸ If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still. ⁹ The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.

¹⁰ Whoever loves money never has enough;
    whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.
    This too is meaningless.

¹¹ As goods increase,
    so do those who consume them.
And what benefit are they to the owners
    except to feast their eyes on them?

¹² The sleep of a laborer is sweet,
    whether they eat little or much,
but as for the rich, their abundance
    permits them no sleep.

¹³ I have seen a grievous evil under the sun:

wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners,
¹⁴     or wealth lost through some misfortune,
so that when they have children
    there is nothing left for them to inherit.
¹⁵ Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb,
    and as everyone comes, so they depart.
They take nothing from their toil
    that they can carry in their hands.

¹⁶ This too is a grievous evil:

As everyone comes, so they depart,
    and what do they gain,
    since they toil for the wind?
¹⁷ All their days they eat in darkness,
    with great frustration, affliction and anger.

¹⁸ This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. ¹⁹ Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. ²⁰ They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.

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    傳道者在這裡說到：「我所見為善為美的，就是人在上帝賜他一生的日子吃喝，享受日光之下勞碌得來的好處，因為這是他的分。上帝賜人資財豐富，使他能以吃用，能取自己的分，在他勞碌中喜樂，這乃是上帝的恩賜。他不多思念自己一生的年日，因為上帝應他的心使他喜樂。」

    而這樣得一分喜樂是來自於對上帝的感謝與敬畏！因為心裡之所以喜樂，是滿足於上帝所賜的！不會要求多又要更多，好還要更好！正如傳道者在這裡說到一種另類的虛空：「貪愛銀子的，不因得銀子知足；貪愛豐富的，也不因得利益知足。」「富足人的豐滿卻不容他睡覺！」「財主積存資財，反害自己。」

    然而人是無法知足的，除非敬畏與感謝上帝所賜的一切，心存感謝享受美物！