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！

傳道書5章

      傳道書5章1-9節   ,

      傳道書5:1-7      ,

      傳道書5:8-20    ,

      傳道書5章10-20節 , 

      傳道書5:10  ,

傳道書5:1-7

5:1 你到上帝的殿要謹慎腳步；因為近前聽，勝過愚昧人獻祭（或譯：勝過獻愚昧人的祭），他們本不知道所做的是惡。
5:2 你在上帝面前不可冒失開口，也不可心急發言；因為上帝在天上，你在地下，所以你的言語要寡少。
5:3 事務多，就令人做夢；言語多，就顯出愚昧。
5:4 你向上帝許願，償還不可遲延，因他不喜悅愚昧人，所以你許的願應當償還。
5:5 你許願不還，不如不許。
5:6 不可任你的口使肉體犯罪，也不可在祭司（原文是使者）面前說是錯許了。為何使上帝因你的聲音發怒，敗壞你手所做的呢？
5:7 多夢和多言，其中多有虛幻，你只要敬畏上帝。

 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.

² Do not be quick with your mouth,
    do not be hasty in your heart
    to utter anything before God.
God is in heaven
    and you are on earth,
    so let your words be few.
³ A dream comes when there are many cares,
    and many words mark the speech of a fool.

⁴ When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. ⁵ It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. ⁶ Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, “My vow was a mistake.” Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands? ⁷ Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore fear God.

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    傳道者在這裡說到的神人關係，有點像一般民間宗教的情形，上帝和人之間好像是一個交易的關係。上帝特別給一些人照心裡的願望成就，他們就奉獻自以為很好的財物給上帝，而且言出必行。

    這就讓我想到，有些傳道人獻身，也是跟上帝這樣交換條件。為了求上帝幫助他們走過人生的困境，就許願將來為上帝作甚麼。而事情就真的這樣成就，他們只好乖乖獻身。正如馬丁路德獻身當修士，是在被雷攻擊的時候，他向他的保護聖徒許願，獲救的時候就獻身。

    想到這個，就想起了一個警語：「在人生困苦的時候，不要隨便像某個神明許願！」

     因為在這種狀況許願，都是被逼的，沒有真正敬畏上帝。然而上帝要我們獻身傳道，不是因為這種交換條件下的許願，而是心被上帝的恩典感動，而獻身服事上帝，這樣的獻身才會蒙上帝喜悅！

傳道書4:13-16

4:13 貧窮而有智慧的少年人勝過年老不肯納諫的愚昧王。
4:14 這人是從監牢中出來作王，在他國中，生來原是貧窮的。
4:15 我見日光之下一切行動的活人都隨從那第二位，就是起來代替老王的少年人。
4:16 他所治理的眾人就是他的百姓，多得無數；在他後來的人尚且不喜悅他。這真是虛空，也是捕風。

 ¹³ Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning. ¹⁴ The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. ¹⁵ I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor. ¹⁶ There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

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    傳道者說到時勢造英雄，但是英雄不是永遠的。我們可以從聖經中看見約瑟的事蹟，他是從囚犯變成宰相，雖然對於埃及人有功勞，可使到後來的年日，沒有人認識他，使得以色列人在埃及被苦待！

    傳道者這樣說，就是要告訴我們：「人不要想在世界上憑著自己的力量，如智慧、謀略、勢力建立不朽的功績，是不可能的事。因為，誰也無法掌握人新的動向，一代喜歡，另一代就不喜歡了！」

    因此，上帝的僕人不是已擄獲人心為職志，而是要以傳講上帝的話語為職志。不是建立自己的舞台和事業，而是建立上帝的教會，讓基督真正掌權作主在教會中。這是獻身成為傳道人所必須要有的認識，與實踐的方向！

傳道書4:7-12

4:7 我又轉念，見日光之下有一件虛空的事：
4:8 有人孤單無二，無子無兄，竟勞碌不息，眼目也不以錢財為足。他說：「我勞勞碌碌，刻苦自己，不享福樂，到底是為誰呢？」這也是虛空，是極重的勞苦。
4:9 兩個人總比一個人好，因為二人勞碌同得美好的果效。
4:10 若是跌倒，這人可以扶起他的同伴；若是孤身跌倒，沒有別人扶起他來，這人就有禍了。
4:11 再者，二人同睡就都暖和，一人獨睡怎能暖和呢？
4:12 有人攻勝孤身一人，若有二人便能敵擋他；三股合成的繩子不容易折斷。

 ⁷ Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:

⁸ There was a man all alone;
    he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
    yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
“For whom am I toiling,” he asked,
    “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?”
This too is meaningless—
    a miserable business!

⁹ Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their labor:
¹⁰ If either of them falls down,
    one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
    and has no one to help them up.
¹¹ Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
    But how can one keep warm alone?
¹² Though one may be overpowered,
    two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

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    傳道者說到人生必須要有伴侶，有伴侶可以互相扶持，好在面對人生各樣的麼難時可以站立的住。而人生的伴侶更要有主在其中，才會成為「三股合成的繩子」，也只有這樣才能抵擋住考驗，「不容易折斷」！

    求主保守每一個基督化的家庭中夫妻的關係，都因為有主耶穌在其中而得穩固，讓每一對夫妻不是看著對方的優缺點，而是看見耶穌基督的十字架已經承擔一切的好與壞，不再計較對方是如何，而是自己願意像基督一樣為罪人捨己！

    同樣，在教會中的同工，也是彼此都看見耶穌基督的十字架，相信耶穌基督已經為每個弟兄姐妹的罪，獻上自己的性命，我們要放下自己接納弟兄姐妹和同工，如同上帝在基督裡接納我們一樣！

    大家要在基督裡彼此接納，才能發揮「三股合成的繩子不容易折斷」的精神與果效，蒙上帝的保守到上帝國實現的時候！