1Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, 'I have no delight in them';
1你趁著年幼、衰敗的日子尚未來到，就是你所說，我毫無喜樂的那些年日未曾臨近之先，當記念造你的主。
2before the sun and the light, the moon and the stars are darkened, and clouds return after the rain;
2不要等到日頭、光明、月亮、星宿變為黑暗，雨後雲彩反回，
3in the day that the watchmen of the house tremble, and mighty men stoop, the grinding ones stand idle because they are few, and those who look through windows grow dim;
3看守房屋的發顫，有力的屈身，推磨的稀少就止息，從窗戶往外看的都昏暗；
4and the doors on the street are shut as the sound of the grinding mill is low, and one will arise at the sound of the bird, and all the daughters of song will sing softly.
4街門關閉，推磨的響聲微小，雀鳥一叫，人就起來，唱歌的女子也都衰微。
5Furthermore, men are afraid of a high place and of terrors on the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags himself along, and the caperberry is ineffective. For man goes to his eternal home while mourners go about in the street.
5人怕高處，路上有驚慌，杏樹開花，蚱蜢成為重擔，人所願的也都廢掉；因為人歸他永遠的家，弔喪的在街上往來。
6[Remember Him] before the silver cord is broken and the golden bowl is crushed, the pitcher by the well is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed;
6銀鍊折斷，金罐破裂，瓶子在泉旁損壞，水輪在井口破爛，
7then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.
7塵土仍歸於地，靈仍歸於賜靈的神。
8'Vanity of vanities,' says the Preacher, 'all is vanity!'
8傳道者說：虛空的虛空，凡事都是虛空。
9In addition to being a wise man, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, searched out and arranged many proverbs.
9再者，傳道者因有智慧，仍將知識教訓眾人；又默想，又考查，又陳說許多箴言。
10The Preacher sought to find delightful words and to write words of truth correctly.
10傳道者專心尋求可喜悅的言語，是憑正直寫的誠實話。
11The words of wise men are like goads, and masters of [these] collections are like well-driven nails; they are given by one Shepherd.
11智慧人的言語好像刺棍；會中之師的言語又像釘穩的釘子，都是一個牧者所賜的。
12But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion [to books] is wearying to the body.
12我兒，還有一層，你當受勸戒：著書多，沒有窮盡；讀書多，身體疲倦。
13The conclusion, when all has been heard, [is]: fear God and keep His commandments, because this [applies to] every person.
13這些事都已聽見了，總意就是：敬畏神，謹守他的誡命，這是人所當盡的本分（或譯：這是眾人的本分）。
14For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.
14因為人所做的事，連一切隱藏的事，無論是善是惡，神都必審問。