7:1 名譽強如美好的膏油；人死的日子勝過人生的日子。
7:2 往遭喪的家去，強如往宴樂的家去；因為死是眾人的結局，活人也必將這事放在心上。
7:3 憂愁強如喜笑；因為面帶愁容，終必使心喜樂。
7:4 智慧人的心在遭喪之家；愚昧人的心在快樂之家。
7:5 聽智慧人的責備，強如聽愚昧人的歌唱。
7:6 愚昧人的笑聲，好像鍋下燒荊棘的爆聲；這也是虛空。
A good name is better than fine perfume,
and the day of death better than the day of birth.
2 It is better to go to a house of mourning
than to go to a house of feasting,
for death is the destiny of everyone;
the living should take this to heart.
3 Frustration is better than laughter,
because a sad face is good for the heart.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.
5 It is better to heed the rebuke of a wise person
than to listen to the song of fools.
6 Like the crackling of thorns under the pot,
so is the laughter of fools.
This too is meaningless.
and the day of death better than the day of birth.
2 It is better to go to a house of mourning
than to go to a house of feasting,
for death is the destiny of everyone;
the living should take this to heart.
3 Frustration is better than laughter,
because a sad face is good for the heart.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.
5 It is better to heed the rebuke of a wise person
than to listen to the song of fools.
6 Like the crackling of thorns under the pot,
so is the laughter of fools.
This too is meaningless.
****************
傳道者在這裡讓我們看見智慧與愚昧的差異，就是勇於面對人生負面的事情，而不是逃避不去面對。這樣的說法讓人覺得很奇怪，尤其是今日強調要有正面能量，或是積極思想，希望快樂多於痛苦。
我們從小到大，多多少少都讓我們遇見痛苦和快樂的事情。但是，對於快樂的事情，我們的印象比較不深刻；反倒是痛苦的事情，讓我們銘記在心，並且回憶起來覺得受益良多，因為經過這些，所以生命變得有深度，更感受到上帝的恩典是何等美好！
雖然我們都不喜歡痛苦和負面的事情，不過這些事情反而鍛鍊我們成為剛強的人，並且更倚靠主，更體會上帝在基督裡的大能，我們就要像傳道者在這裡所說的，勇敢面對來增加生命的深度與人生的智慧，享受上帝所賜的豐盛生命。
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