Chapter commentary
Ecclesiastes Chapter 5
서론
Ecclesiastes 5 Introduction
繁體中文
English original
The Preacher now begins to address his hearer in the second person. The soliloquy, hitherto unbroken, is henceforth interrupted by personal addresses, which are repeated with increasing frequency from this place to the end of the book. They who divide the whole book into two parts (the first theoretical, the second practical) begin the second division here.
There is a striking resemblance between the line of thought pursued in this book and that of Asaph in Psalm 73. As the Psalmist, so the Preacher, after setting forth iris view of human life, takes his hearer into the house of God for an explanation and directions. If the expression "goest to the house of God" Ecclesiastes 5:1 has also the spiritual sense of entering into communion with God, Solomon here admonishes generally that reverence is due to God, and particularly that the "vanity" which is mingled with the "portion" that God assigns to every man, ought to be treated as a divine mystery, not to be made an occasion of idle thought, hasty words, and rash resolutions, but to be considered in the fear of God Ecclesiastes 5:1-7; that the spectacle of unjust oppression is to be patiently referred to God's supreme judgment Ecclesiastes 5:8-9; that mere riches are unsatisfying, bring care with them, and if hoarded are transitory Ecclesiastes 5:10-17; and that a man's enjoyment of his portion in life, including both labor and riches, is the gift of God Ecclesiastes 5:18-20.
1
Ecclesiastes 5:1
繁體中文
你到神的殿要謹慎腳步——意即要專心於你將要行的事。
神的殿——有人說，換作一位尋常敬虔的希伯來作者，此處本可預期他稱之為「耶和華的殿」；但對於接受本書為所羅門陷於拜偶像之後所著的人而言，作者避而不用立約之主的名，正顯出他自然而然的自我謙卑，承認自己不配享有立約之子的特權（見傳道書 1:13 註釋）。
近前聽——也許含有這樣的意思：「為要聽（並遵行）而近前來，勝過……」。
English original
Keep thy foot - i. e., Give thy mind to what thou art going to do.
The house of God - It has been said that here an ordinary devout Hebrew writer might have been expected to call it "the house of Yahweh;" but to those who accept this book as the work of Solomon after his fall into idolatry, it will appear a natural sign of the writer's self-humiliation, an acknowledgment of his unworthiness of the privileges of a son of the covenant, that he avoids the name of the Lord of the covenant (see Ecclesiastes 1:13 note).
Be more ready to hear - Perhaps in the sense that, "to draw near for the purpose of hearing (and obeying) is better than etc."
6
Ecclesiastes 5:6
繁體中文
不可任你的口……——意即不要起輕率的願，免得日後成為逃避推諉的因由，終究不得償還。
在天使面前——七十士譯本及其他一些譯本譯作「在神面前」，指代表神臨在、執行神公義的屬靈存在（出埃及記 23:21），正如那向大衛降罰的一位（撒母耳記下 24:17）。另有人認為這天使指祭司，並引瑪拉基書 2:7 為據，但這可能性較小。
English original
Suffer not thy mouth ... - i. e., Do not make rash vows which may hereafter be the cause of evasion and prevarication, and remain unfulfilled.
Before the angel - The Septuagint and some other versions render "before the face of God," meaning a spiritual being representing the presence of God, a minister of divine justice Exodus 23:21, such a one as inflicted judgment upon David 2 Samuel 24:17. Others, with less probability, understand the angel to be a priest, and refer to Malachi 2:7.
7
Ecclesiastes 5:7
繁體中文
多夢……多言——或譯作：因為事情正是因多夢、多虛空、多言而如此。
English original
For ... vanities - Or, For so it happens through many dreams and vanities and many words.
8
Ecclesiastes 5:8
繁體中文
事——更好譯作：旨意（如旁註及傳道書 3:1），或指神的旨意，或指暴虐統治者的法令。
因高處……還有更高的——按字面是「高位者監察高位者，至高者監察他們」，即京都的君王監察省中的法官或省長，神又監察這兩者。這解釋比單指屬世統治者的理解，與前文更協調，也更切合本段的主旨。
English original
Matter - Rather, purpose (as in the margin, and Ecclesiastes 3:1), referring either to the will of God or to the edict of an oppressive ruler.
For he ... they - literally, for high watches over high and the highest over them, i. e., the king in the capital watches over the judge or governor in the province, and God over both. This seems more in harmony with the preceding verses, and more agreeable to the scope of this passage than to understand the passage only of earthly rulers.
9
Ecclesiastes 5:9
繁體中文
王受益於田地——更好譯作：王也仰賴田地，即倚靠田地的耕種。居高位者若欺壓低微的人，便因此喪失自己維生的憑藉。
English original
The king himself is served by the field - Rather, the king is subject to the field, i. e., is dependent on its cultivation. The higher ranks, if they oppress the lower, lose thereby their own means of subsistence.
11
Ecclesiastes 5:11
繁體中文
吃的人……加多——指所僱的工人與家中的僕人。
English original
They ... that eat them - i. e., The laborers employed, and the household servants.
12
Ecclesiastes 5:12
繁體中文
勞碌的人——不是奴隸（如七十士譯本所譯），而是每一個照神的吩咐、汗流滿面賺得飲食的人。
English original
Labouring man - Not a slave (Septuagint), but everyone who, according to the divine direction, earns his bread in the sweat of his brow.
14
Ecclesiastes 5:14
繁體中文
遭禍患——指逆境的意外，或事業的不遂（比較傳道書 1:13；4:8）。
English original
Evil travail - Adverse accident, or unsuccessful employment (compare Ecclesiastes 1:13; Ecclesiastes 4:8).
17
Ecclesiastes 5:17
繁體中文
甚為憂愁……——更好譯作：極其悲傷，且有痛苦與煩惱。
English original
Hath much sorrow ... - Rather, is very sad and hath pain and vexation.
18
Ecclesiastes 5:18
繁體中文
更好譯作：看哪，我所見為善的，就是人在吃喝中享福。這種感恩的享受也是律法所教導的（申命記 12:7、12:18）。
English original
Rather, Behold what I have seen to be good, it is pleasant for a man to eat. Such thankful enjoyment is inculcated by the Law Deuteronomy 12:7, Deuteronomy 12:18.
20
Ecclesiastes 5:20
繁體中文
No translation yet.
English original
The days will pass smoothly and pleasantly, while he lives in the consciousness of God's favor.
Answereth him - i. e., grants his prayers.
傳道者從這時起，開始以第二人稱向聽者說話。迄今未曾中斷的獨白，此後便被面向個人的勸勉所打斷，而這樣的勸勉從此處直到全書末了，出現得愈來愈頻繁。把全書分為兩部分（前為理論，後為實踐）的人，便以此處為第二部分的起點。
本書所循的思路，與 Psalm 73 裡亞薩的思路有驚人的相似。正如那位詩篇作者一樣，傳道者在陳明了自己對人生的見解之後，也把聽者帶進神的殿中，為要得著解釋與指引。若「你到神的殿去」（Ecclesiastes 5:1）這說法也含有進入與神相交之境的屬靈意義，那麼所羅門在此首先概括地勸勉人當向神存敬畏；特別是，那混雜在神分給每人的「福分」之中的「虛空」，應當視為屬神的奧祕來對待，不可拿它作閒思妄念、急躁言語與輕率決斷的藉口，而要在敬畏神之中加以思量（Ecclesiastes 5:1-7）；不義欺壓的景象，當忍耐地交託給神至高的審判（Ecclesiastes 5:8-9）；單有財富不能使人滿足，反帶來憂慮，若只知積存，更是轉眼成空（Ecclesiastes 5:10-17）；而人在一生之中享受自己的福分——包括勞碌與財富——乃是神的恩賜（Ecclesiastes 5:18-20）。