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传道书生命读经 · 第1篇

虚空的虚空（一）

Vanity of Vanities (1)
1读经：传道书一章一至十一节。在本篇信息中，我们要说到传道书生命读经的介言，然后来看这卷书本身。
1Scripture Reading: Eccl. 1:1-11 In this message we will give an introductory word to the life-study of Ecclesiastes and then begin to consider the book itself
壹 介言
I. AN INTRODUCTORY WORD
一 书名
A. The Title
2传道书的希伯来文原名为Qohelet，柯亥力，意思是『传扬者（或，教师）』，是将以色列人聚集起来，对他们讲论的人。
2Ecclesiastes in Hebrew is Qohelet, meaning "preacher" (or "teacher"), one who gathered and spoke to an assembly of the children of Israel
二 著者
B. The Writer
3传道书的著者是智慧的王所罗门。（一1，12，十二9，参王上四32。）
3The writer of Ecclesiastes was the wise King Solomon (1:1, 12; 12:9; cf. 1 Kings 4:32
三 著时
C. The Time
4这卷书大约是在主前九七七年，所罗门堕落之后写的。
4The time of writing was about 977 B.C., after Solomon's fall
四 著地
D. The Place
5著地是在耶路撒冷。（传一1，12。）
5The place of writing was Jerusalem (Eccl. 1:1, 12
五 内容
E. The Contents
6传道书的内容是所罗门在堕落离开神，又回转归向神之后，对堕落人类在日光之下，在败坏世界中人生的描绘。他专心寻求查究天下所发生的一切事，他观察到照著自然的现象，万事都是一再循环发生，一代又一代都是一样，令人厌烦，并无新事。他下结论说，对堕落人类的人生而言，这一切都是虚空的虚空，都是捕风。智慧的王，凭他的智慧所得著的这样一个结论，可以看作是堕落之人虚空人生的历史。他在这卷书中的结论，就像结局悲惨之人的挽歌。
6The contents of Ecclesiastes are a description by Solomon, after his falling away from God and returning back to God, concerning the human life of fallen mankind under the sun, which is in the corrupted world. He set his heart to seek and to search out all that is done under the heavens, and he observed that according to the natural phenomena all the things done in cycle remain the same, generation after generation, all wearisome and nothing new. In his conclusion, this is all vanity of vanities and a chasing after wind to the human life of fallen mankind. Such a conclusion of the wise king by his wisdom may be considered a history of the vain life of a fallen man. His conclusion in this book is like a dirge to a man whose end is in misery
7照传道书看，人的历史从起初到现今，都是虚空。因为受造之物服在虚空和败坏的奴役之下，在日光之下凡事都是虚空。保罗在罗马八章二十至二十一节说到这点，与传道书所说的相符。今天每个人实际上不是在活，乃是在死。我们生而死，就是说，我们从出生之日，就一直在死。由此我们看见，在日光之下，人生是虚空的虚空。
7According to Ecclesiastes, human history, from its beginning to the present, is vanity. Because creation has been made subject to vanity and to the slavery of corruption, everything under the sun is vanity. Paul ' sword concerning this in Romans 8:20-21 corresponds to Ecclesiastes. Today everyone is actually not living but dying. We have been born to die; that is, we have been dying since the day of our birth. From this we see that human life under the sun is vanity of vanities.
六 中心思想
F. The Central Thought
8所罗门有无比的智慧，至高的地位，凌驾众人的财富，又有成百的妃嫔，在放纵情欲上堕落到无以伦比的地步。藉著经过日光之下一切积极和消极的人生经历，他的思想中深深刻著且充满了这卷书的中心思想，就是在日光之下，堕落离开神的人生是虚空的虚空。人是神以最高、最尊贵的定旨造的，就是要在生命、性情、和彰显上与神相像，而彰显神。但是神的仇敌魔鬼撒但，进来将他自己作为罪注射到神为祂定旨所造的人里面。因著人这样的堕落，人以及神所交托给人管理的一切受造之物，也都被带进败坏的奴役之中，服在虚空之下。（罗八20～21。）因此，在败坏世界里的人生，也成了虚空，也成了捕风。著者所罗门完全领悟这事，就在他的描述里强调这事到了极点。但他在这事上不是完全的失望，反而指教我们，有一条脱离这虚空的路，就是回到神那里，以神作人的一切、救赎、生命、财富、享受、快乐和满足，使人仍然可以为神所用，以成就神在人身上原初的定旨，而完成神永远的经纶。（传十二13～14。）
8Solomon had unequaled wisdom, the supreme position, unsurpassed wealth, and hundreds of wives and concubines, and fell in the indulgence of his lust to an unparalleled extent. Through all the positive and negative experiences of the human life under the sun, his thought was deeply impressed and occupied with the central thought of this book, that is, the vanity of vanities of the human life under the sun in its falling away from God. Man was created by God with the highest and most noble purpose, that is, to express Him in the resemblance of Him in His life, nature, and expression. But God'se ne my, Satan the devil, came in to inject himself as sin into the man created by God for His purpose. Through this fall of man, man and all the created things that had been committed by God to his dominion were brought into the slavery of corruption, made subject to vanity (Rom. 8:20-21). Thus, the human life in the corrupted world also became a vanity, a chasing after wind. The writer Solomon had fully realized this and stressed this to the uttermost in his description. Yet he was not fully disappointed in this, but rather he instructed men that there is a way to get out of this vanity, that is, to come back to God and take God as man'se very thing, redemption, life, wealth, enjoyment, pleasure, and satisfaction, that man still may be used by God to fulfill His original purpose in man for the fulfillment of His eternal economy (Eccl. 12:13-14
贰 这卷书的本身
II. THE BOOK ITSELF
一 开头的话
A. The Opening Word
9传道书一章一至十一节是开头的话。
9Ecclesiastes 1:1-11 is the opening word
１ 著者
1. The Writer
10一节指明著者是在耶路撒冷的王，大卫的儿子所罗门－传道者。
10Verse 1 indicates that the writer was Solomon, the son of David, king in Jerusalem—the Preacher
２ 主题
2. The Theme
11在二至十一节我们看见，这卷书的主题是虚空的虚空。
11In verses 2 through 11 we see that the theme of this book is vanity of vanities
ａ在日光之下人一切的劳碌，都是循环
a. All the Works of Man under the Sun Being Done in Cycle
12在日光之下人一切的劳碌，都是循环。（3～4。）每天日头出来、落下。每年一季接著另一季。父母生出儿女，至终死去。儿女长大，生出他们的儿女，然后又死去。循环一直继续，没有新事。
12All the works of man under the sun are done in cycle (vv. 3-4). Every day the sun rises and goes down. Every year one season follows another. Parents bring forth children and eventually die. The children grow and bring forth children of their own, and then they die. The cycle goes on and on, with nothing new.
ｂ都是照旧
b. All Remaining the Same
13万事都是照旧，一代又一代，就像自然界的现象一样。（4～7。）
13All remain the same, generation after generation, like the phenomena in nature (vv. 4-7
ｃ万事都令人厌烦
c. All Being Wearisome
14万事都令人厌烦，无事令人满足，并无新事，也无人记念。（8～11。）
14All are wearisome, nothing is satisfying, nothing is new, and nothing is remembered (vv. 8-11
二 著者的实验
B. The Writer's Experiments
15传道书一章十二节至六章十二节是很长的一段，说到著者的实验。
15Ecclesiastes 1:12—6:12 is a lengthy section concerned with the writer's experiments
１ 在智慧和知识的事上
1. In Wisdom and Knowledge
16第一个实验是在智慧和知识的事上。（一12～18。）著者说，神叫世人所劳烦的，是极重的劳苦。（13。）弯曲的不能变直；缺少的不能足数。（15。）多有智慧，就多有愁烦，加增知识的，就加增忧伤。（18。）明白智慧，且明白狂妄和愚昧，也是捕风。（17。）
16The first experiment is in wisdom and knowledge (1:12- 18). The writer says that it is grievous travail that God has given to the children of men to travail in (v. 13). What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be counted (v. 15). In much wisdom is much vexation, and the increase of knowledge increases sorrow (v. 18). To know wisdom and to know madness and folly also are a chasing after wind (v. 17
２ 在欢宴的事上
2. In Pleasure
17二章一至十一节是在欢宴之事上的实验，尤其是关于享乐、（1～2、）畅饮、（3、）建造和栽种、（4～6、）财物、（7、）金银、（8上、）音乐、（8中、）以及喜爱许多的妃嫔。（8下。）所罗门发现，他凭自己的智慧，在这些欢宴上无可匹比的经历，都是虚空，都是捕风，在日光之下毫无益处。（9～11。）
17In 2:1-11 we have the experiment in pleasure, in particular of enjoyment (vv. 1-2), drinking (v. 3), building and planting (vv. 4-6), possessions (v. 7), silver and gold (v. 8a), music (v. 8b), and the delights in concubine after concubine (v. 8c). Solomon'sun paralleled experiences of these pleasures with his wisdom were all found by him to be vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no advantage under the sun (vv. 9-11
３ 在作智慧人或愚昧人的事上
3. In Being a Wise Man or a Fool
18十二至二十六节描述在作智慧人或愚昧人之事上的实验。ａ作智慧人比作愚昧人好作智慧人比作愚昧人好，但他们死后，都成了虚空，成了捕风。所以所罗门恨恶在日光之下的生活，对他来说，这一切都使他烦恼。（12～17。）
18Verses 12 through 26 describe the experiment in being a wise man or a fool. a. To Be a Wise Man Being Better than to Be a Fool To be a wise man is better than to be a fool, but after death both become a vanity, a chasing after wind. So Solomon hated life under the sun which was grievous to him (vv. 12-17).
ｂ所罗门这个劳碌的人，所得的结果，却要留给未曾劳碌的人
b. Solomon, as a Man Who Labored, Leaving the Issue of His Labor to One Who Had Not Labored
19所罗门这个人，用智慧、知识、技巧、操心而劳碌，所得的结果，却要留给未曾劳碌的人；他恨恶他在日光之下所劳碌的，对其心怀绝望，因为他得来的，必留给他以后的人；他认为这是大患、忧伤、愁烦，使他在夜间心也不安。因此，对他来说，这一切都是虚空，都是捕风。（18～23。）
19Solomon, as a man who had labored with wisdom, knowledge, skill, and striving and would leave the issue of his labor to a man who had not labored, hated all his labor under the sun and despaired of it because he would leave his gain to the man after him, considering it a great evil, sorrow, and vexation that caused his heart to have no rest in the night. Hence, all this was vanity and a chasing after wind to him (vv. 18-23
ｃ所罗门承认这是出于神的手
c. Solomon Recognizing What Is from the Hand of God
20所罗门认为人莫强如吃喝，且在劳碌中让自己得尝享乐；他也承认这是出于神的手，祂眼中看谁为好，就给谁智慧、知识和喜乐；（三13，五～20；）惟有罪人，神使他劳苦的收聚、堆积，所得的却归给神眼中看为好的人。在所罗门看来，这也是虚空，也是捕风。（二24～26。）
20Solomon considered that nothing is better for man than to eat, drink, and make his soul taste enjoyment in his labor and recognized that this is from the hand of God, who gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to the man who is good in His sight (3:13; 5:18-20), but to 18 the sinner, the travail of gathering and heaping up for him who is good in God'ss ight. To him this also was vanity and a chasing after wind (2:24-26).
４ 在神主宰下之命定的事上
4. In Fate under God's Sovereignty
21三章一至十五节说到在神主宰下之命定这事上的实验。
21In 3:1-15 we have a word regarding the experiment in fate under God's sovereignty
ａ凡事都有定期
a. There Being a Season for Everything
22凡事都有定期，由神所定。作事的人在他的劳碌上，有甚么益处？（1～9。）
22There is a season for everything, appointed by God. What profit does the worker have in all that he labors? (vv. 1-9
ｂ神使凡事都有定期的原因
b. The Reasons Why God Appointed a Season for Everything
23所罗门继续列举神使凡事都有定期的原因。
23Solomon goes on to list the reasons why God appointed a season for everything
（一） 神将劳苦的事给世人神将劳苦的事给世人，叫他们在其
1) God Having Given the Children of Men to Travail God has given the children of men to travail in travail
24
24(v. 10).
25中劳苦。（10。）
25
（二） 神将永远安置在人心里
2) God Having Put Eternity in Man'sHe art
26神造万物，各按其时成为美好；又将永远（就是对在永远里之事的渴望）安置在世人心里；虽是这样，人仍然不能参透神从始至终的作为。（11。）神造人时，将所罗门所称为『永远』的东西放在人里面。这就是说，在人里面有一种对神的渴望，对永远之事的渴望。物质的事也许是可享受的，却是暂时的。
26God has made everything beautiful in its own time and has put eternity (an aspiration for the things in eternity) in man'she art, yet so that man does not find out what God has done from the beginning to the end (v. 11). In His creation of man, God put something into man which Solomon called "eternity." This means that in man there is a kind of aspiration for God, an aspiration for something eternal. Physical things may be enjoyable, but they are temporal.
27许多成功的人能见证，他们竭力在事业上晋升时，里面就觉得虚空。他们开始领悟，他们在寻求永远的事。他们得著所要得的东西以后，就觉得那算不得甚么。这种感觉来自人心里对永远之事的渴慕。照著我们自己的经历，我们知道，每当我们在人生中有所成功的时候，就也有虚空的感觉。这指明在人里面有对永远之事的渴望。神已将这样的渴望，这样的寻求，放在人的心里，使人寻求神。每个人，尤其每个有思想的人，里面都有这种对永远的渴望和寻求。
27Many successful people can testify that when they were endeavoring to advance in their career, they sensed that there was an emptiness within them. They began to realize that they were seeking something eternal. After they gained something they wanted, they felt that it was nothing. This feeling comes from the aspiration in man'she art for something eternal. According to our own experience we know that whenever we have a success in our human life, we also have an empty feeling. This indicates that within man there is an aspiration for eternal things. God has put such an aspiration, such a seeking, in man'she art so that he will seek God. Every person, especially every thoughtful person, has within him this longing and seeking for eternity
（三） 人莫强如终生喜乐行善
3) There Being Nothing Better for Man than to Rejoice and Do Good in His Lifetime
28十二至十三节说，人莫强如终生喜乐行善，并且吃喝，在他一切劳碌中得尝享乐；这也是神的恩赐。神为自己创造人，但人被撒但引诱放弃神，因此人成为堕落的。然而，神仍祝福人，使他有美好的生活，并享受各种物质的事物。藉著以物质的事物祝福人，神世世代代维持人类的生存。神这样保守人，是为著要救赎祂所拣选的人。离了神的祝福，没有一个人能忍受在地上的生活。一面，在日光之下，凡事都是虚空的虚空，并且服在败坏的奴役之下﹔另一面，人生的某些事物，如教育、工作和婚姻，仍非常引起人的兴趣。我们若不奋斗以得著教育，或在工作上成功，或得著美满的婚姻生活和家庭生活，我们也许会受试诱要自杀。神用人对这些事物的奋斗，以保守人在地上。人类若不再生存，神就无法从堕落的人类中得著祂所拣选的人。人类若被了结，基督就无法来临，因为不会有为著祂成为肉体的谱系。
28Verses 12 and 13 say that there is nothing better for man than to rejoice and do good in his lifetime, eating, drinking, and tasting enjoyment in all his labor; it is the gift of God. God created man for Himself, but man was seduced by Satan to give God up, and thus man became fallen. Nevertheless, God still blesses man so that he may have a good living and enjoy various material things. By blessing man with material things, God maintains the existence of mankind from generation to generation. God has preserved man in this way for the sake of the redemption of His chosen ones. Apart from God's blessing no one could bear to live on earth. On the one hand, everything under the sun is vanity of vanities and is subject to the slavery of corruption. On the other hand, certain things in human life, such as education, work, and marriage, are still very appealing. If we did not strive to gain an education or to succeed in our work or to have a good married life and family life, we might be tempted to commit suicide. God uses man's striving for these things in order to keep man on earth. If mankind ceased to exist, God could not gain His chosen ones from among the fallen human race. If mankind had been terminated, Christ could not have come, for there would have been no lineage for His incarnation
29虽然人是堕落的，但神继续祝福人，使日头照耀，使雨降下，并且维持宇宙中正确的次序。结果，人就渴望继续活著。这样人类就为著神蒙保守，以完成祂在创立这地以前拣选我们的定旨。我们生在正确的时间和正确的地方。所以，今天我们为著神的定旨都在这里。若神没有主宰的保守人物质的生命，我们就没有一个人能为著祂的定旨生存。我信这是正确领会所罗门写这句话时的思想，他写著：『人人吃喝，在他一切劳碌中得尝享乐；这也是神的恩赐。』（13。）
29Although man is fallen, God continues to bless man, causing the sun to shine and the rain to fall and maintaining a proper order in the universe. As a result, people have the desire to go on living. In this way mankind is preserved for God to fulfill His purpose in choosing us before the foundation of the earth. We were born at the right time and in the right place. Therefore, we all are here today for God's purpose. Without God'ss ove reign preservation of physical, human life, none of us could exist for His purpose. I believe that this is the correct understanding of Solomon's thought when he wrote that "every man should eat and drink and taste enjoyment in all his labor; it is the gift of God" (v. 13
（四） 神排定一切现今和将来的事
4) God Having Appointed All Things Which Are in the Present and Which Will Be in the Future
30神在祂管理一切的主宰里，排定一切现今和将来的事，并且再寻回已过的事。神一切所作的，都必永存，无可增添，无可减少，为要人敬畏祂，好叫他们有祂的智慧，认识人生真实的意义。（14～15。）５在人类社会中地位和阶级的事上
30God, in His sovereignty over all, has appointed all things which are in the present and which will be in the future and seeks to reemploy the things which took place in the past. Whatever God does will be forever; nothing can be added to it, nor can anything be taken from it, that all would fear Him that they may have His wisdom to realize the real meaning of human life (vv. 14-15). 5. In Ranks and Classes in Human Society
31传道书三章十六节至四章十六节说到，所罗门在人类社会中地位和阶级之事上的实验。ａ神的审判使义人降低
31Ecclesiastes 3:16—4:16 is concerned with Solomon's experiment in ranks and classes in human society. a. The Judgment of God Bringing the Righteous Down
32神按著定时的审判，使义人降低到与恶人一样的水平上。（三16～17。）
32The judgment of God in the appointed time brings the righteous down to the same level as the wicked (3:16-17
ｂ这是使神验证人不过像兽类一样
b. God Proving That Men Are But Beasts
33这是使神验证人不过像兽类一样，将人降低到与兽类一样的水平上。因此，人莫强如在他作的事上喜乐，因为这是他的分。他身后的事，谁能使他回来看见呢？（三18～22。）
33This is for God to prove that men are but beasts, bringing men down to the same level as beasts. Thus, there is nothing better than that a man take his portion to rejoice in his works, for who will bring him to see what will be after him? (vv. 18-22
ｃ受欺压的流泪，欺压人的有势力
c. The Oppressed Being in Tears and the Oppressors Having Power
34受欺压的流泪，欺压人的有势力，但二者都无人安慰。所罗门赞叹死人，胜过那还活著的活人；他更赞叹那未曾生的，就是未见过日光下所行之恶事的。（四1～3。）
34The oppressed are in tears and the oppressors have power, but both have no comforter. Solomon praised the dead more than the living and even the more the one who has not yet been and has not seen the evil work under the sun (4:1-3).
ｄ人为一切的劳碌，和各样技巧的工作，就被邻舍嫉妒
d. All Labor and All Skill in Work Causing Man's Jealousy for His Neighbor
35人为一切的劳碌，和各样技巧的工作，就被邻舍嫉妒。愚昧人抱著手，吃自己的肉。一手捧著安宁，强如两手满了劳碌捕风。这一切都是虚空，都是捕风。（4～6。）
35All labor and all skill in work cause man's jealousy for his neighbor. The fool folds his hands together and consumes his own flesh. One handful with quietness is better than two hands full with labor. All these are vanity and a chasing after wind (vv. 4-6
ｅ有人孤单无二
e. One Who Is Alone and without a Second
36有人孤单无二，无子无兄，竟劳碌不息，眼目也不以财富为足，劳劳碌碌，刻苦自己，不为任何一人。两个人总比一个人好，三个人比两个人更好。（7～12。）
36One who is alone and without a second, having no son or brother, labors without end. His eye is not satisfied with riches, but he labors and deprives himself for no one. Two are better than one, and three are even better than two (vv. 7-12
ｆ贫穷而有智慧的少年人，胜过年老的愚昧王
f. A Poor but Wise Youth Being Better than an Old and Foolish King
37贫穷而有智慧的少年人，胜过年老不肯纳谏的愚昧王。（13～16。）
37A poor but wise youth is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to be admonished (vv. 13-16