1智者的選擇美名優於美好的膏油，死亡的日子勝過誕生的日子。
1A good name is better than fine perfume; and the day of death better than the day of one’s birth.
2往服喪之家，比往宴樂之家還好，因為死是人人的結局，活人要把這事放在心上。
2It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men, and the living should take this to heart.
3憂愁勝於嬉笑，因為面帶愁容，能使內心得著好處。
3Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the face the heart is made good.
4智慧人的心在服喪之家，愚昧人的心在歡樂之家。
4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5聽智慧人的斥責，勝過聽愚昧人的歌唱。
5It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6愚昧人的笑聲，就像鍋底下荊棘的爆聲一樣。這也是虛空。
6For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.
7勒索會使智慧人變為愚妄，賄賂能敗壞人心。
7Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding.
8事情的結局勝於開端，存心忍耐的，勝過居心驕傲的。
8Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9你心裡不要輕易動怒，因為惱怒留在愚昧人的胸懷中。
9Don’t be hasty in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.
10你不要說：“為甚麼從前的日子勝過現在的呢？”你這樣問，不是出於智慧。
10Don’t say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not ask wisely about this.
11智慧與產業都是好的，對得見天日的人是有益的。
11Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.
12因為受智慧的庇護，如同受銀子的庇護。唯有智慧能保全智慧人的生命，這就是知識的益處。
12For wisdom is a defense, even as money is a defense; but the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.
13體察 神的心意行事要觀察 神的作為，因為他所屈曲的，誰能弄直呢？
13Consider the work of God, for who can make that straight, which he has made crooked?
14在亨通的日子，應當享福；遭遇患難的時候，就當省察。 神使這兩樣並存，為了叫人查不出未來的事。
14In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yes, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him.
15在我虛空的日子裡，我見過這兩件事：有義人行義反而滅亡，有惡人行惡倒享長壽。
15All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in his evildoing.
16不要過分公義，也不要太過有智慧，何必自取滅亡呢？
16Don’t be overly righteous, neither make yourself overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
17不要過分作惡，也不要作愚昧人，何必時候未到就死？
17Don’t be too wicked, neither be foolish. Why should you die before your time?
18持守這個是好的，那個也不要放鬆，因為敬畏 神的人，都必避免這兩個極端。
18It is good that you should take hold of this. Yes, also from that don’t withdraw your hand; for he who fears God will come forth from them all.
19智慧使智慧人比城中十個官長更有能力。
19Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.
20世上實在沒有一個行善而不犯罪的義人。
20Surely there is not a righteous man on earth, who does good and doesn’t sin.
21人所說的一切話，都不要放在心上，因你可能聽見僕人咒罵你。
21Also don’t take heed to all words that are spoken, lest you hear your servant curse you;
22其實你心裡明白，自己也曾多次咒罵別人。
22for often your own heart knows that you yourself have likewise cursed others.
23這一切我都用智慧試驗過。我說：“我要得智慧”，智慧卻遠離我。
23All this have I proved in wisdom. I said, “I will be wise”; but it was far from me.
24那離得遠又極深奧的，誰能找到呢？
24That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out?
25我轉念，一心去了解、考察並尋覓智慧和事理，又要知道愚蒙是邪惡的，狂妄是愚昧的。
25I turned around, and my heart sought to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity, and that foolishness is madness.
26我發現一個比死亡更惡毒的婦人，她有如羅網，心如陷阱，手如鎖鍊。蒙 神喜悅的人得以擺脫她，罪人卻被她纏住。
26I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and traps, whose hands are chains. Whoever pleases God shall escape from her; but the sinner will be ensnared by her.
27傳道者說：“看哪！我發現了這件事，我一再揣摩，要找出事情的道理。
27“Behold, I have found this,” says the Preacher, “one to another, to find out the scheme;
28我的心仍在尋覓，卻還找不到，就是在一千個男人中，我找到一個正直人，但在所有的女人中，連一個也找不到。
28which my soul still seeks; but I have not found. One man among a thousand have I found; but I have not found a woman among all those.
29我所明白的，只有這件事： 神造人原是正直的，他們卻找出許多巧計。”
29Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they search for many schemes.”