서론
Ecclesiastes 8 Introduction
简体中文
英文原文
Although in some degree baffled in his own pursuit of wisdom, Solomon yet regards wisdom as the nearest approach to "that good for man" which he is seeking; and presses here, as a part of that wisdom, a spirit of obedience Ecclesiastes 8:1-5. In the face of the incomprehensible course of external events, he determined to abide in the fear and trust of God Ecclesiastes 8:6-14, and to acknowledge the natural incompetence of every man to find out the unsearchable ways of God Ecclesiastes 8:15-17.
1
Ecclesiastes 8:1
简体中文
“而谁知道”（and who）——更宜译作“而正如那知道的人”。拥有智慧的人胜过众人：智慧使他的面容焕发安详，并除去他脸上的阴沉或暴戾之色（见旁注）。
英文原文
And who - Rather, and as he who knoweth. The possessor of wisdom excels other people: it imparts serenity to his countenance, and removes the expression of gloom or fierceness (see the marginal reference).
2
Ecclesiastes 8:2
简体中文
“指着神起的誓”（oath）——指所罗门登基之时，众人向他效忠的起誓（见 1 Chronicles 29:24 边注）。
英文原文
Oath - A reference to the oath of allegiance taken to Solomon at his accession to the throne (the margin of 1 Chronicles 29:24).
3
Ecclesiastes 8:3
简体中文
“不要固执行恶”（stand not ...）——意即“不可顽固坚持悖逆之事”。
英文原文
Stand not ... - i. e., "Do not persist in rebellion."
5
Ecclesiastes 8:5
简体中文
“经历”（Feel）——按字面是“知道”。其意为：“遵守命令的人（即王的话，Ecclesiastes 8:4），必不参与任何叛逆的行为；他若是智慧人，就分辨得出（按字面是‘知道’）王的命令或作为若有错误，到了神的时候、按着神的审判，必要受到纠正。”参 Ecclesiastes 3:11、Ecclesiastes 3:17。
英文原文
Feel - literally, know. The meaning is, "He who obeys the commandment (i. e., the word of the king, Ecclesiastes 8:4), will not be an accomplice in any act of rebellion; and if he be a wise man he discerns (literally knows) that the king's commandment or action is liable to correction, if it be wrong, in God's time and by God's judgment." Compare Ecclesiastes 3:11, Ecclesiastes 3:17.
6
Ecclesiastes 8:6
简体中文
“因为……所以”（Because, therefore）——或如 Ecclesiastes 8:7 那样作“因为”。
神的时候与审判有可能与王的意图或命令相违（Ecclesiastes 8:5），这一可能性引出这样的想法：这样的不和谐乃是人人（或说人类）共有的祸患（“恶”，见 Ecclesiastes 6:1）。
英文原文
Because, therefore - , Or, as in Ecclesiastes 8:7, "for."
The possibility of God's time and judgment being in opposition to a king's purpose or commandment Ecclesiastes 8:5, suggests the thought that such discord is a misery (evil, Ecclesiastes 6:1) common to man (or, mankind).
7
Ecclesiastes 8:7
简体中文
“何时”（When）——或按旁注的读法。关于本节的含义，请参看旁注相关经文。
英文原文
When - Or, as in the margin. For the meaning of this verse, compare marginal references.
8
Ecclesiastes 8:8
简体中文
“无人有权力”（Neither hath he power）——更宜作“并且没有权力”。参 Ecclesiastes 3:19。
“无人能免”（No discharge ...）——意即“没有任何豁免，可免于生死之间最后搏斗的时刻”。
“邪恶”（Wickedness）——恶人的性命尽管可能得以延长（Ecclesiastes 7:15），邪恶本身却没有任何固有的能力可以延长那性命。
英文原文
Neither hath he power - Rather: "and there is no power." Compare Ecclesiastes 3:19.
No discharge ... - i. e., "No exemption from the final hour of struggle between life and death."
Wickedness - Though the life of the wicked may be prolonged Ecclesiastes 7:15, yet wickedness itself has no inherent power to prolong that life.
9
Ecclesiastes 8:9
简体中文
“以致自己受害”（To his own hurt）——或作“以致臣民受害”。这里所指的仍是那不明智之王的情况：人服从他的命令（Ecclesiastes 8:2），甚至顺服到使服从他的智慧人受害的地步。
英文原文
To his own hurt - Or, "to the hurt of the subject." The case is still that of an unwise king whose command is obeyed Ecclesiastes 8:2 even to the hurt of the wise man who obeys him.
10
Ecclesiastes 8:10
简体中文
意即：“我见恶人（作恶的统治者）被埋葬：他们曾进入世界，又从圣地（即权柄与审判之所在，Deuteronomy 19:17；2 Chronicles 19:6）离去；他们在那样施行统治、苦害臣民的城市里，被人遗忘：这事——他们的死亡与湮没无闻——表明他们的分也是虚空。”另有人将本节解释为：“我见恶人被埋葬；（另有人）来到世界，又从圣地出去、离开世界，在他们素来行事正直的那城里被人遗忘”（参 2 Kings 7:9）。
英文原文
i. e., "I saw wicked (rulers) buried, who came into the world and went from the Holy place (the seat of authority and justice, Deuteronomy 19:17; 2 Chronicles 19:6), and they were forgotten in the city where they had so ruled to the hurt of their subjects: this - their death and oblivion - shews their lot also to be vanity." Others interpret the verse: "I have seen wicked men buried; and (others) came into the world, and from the Holy place they went out of the world, and were forgotten in the city where they had done rightly" (compare 2 Kings 7:9).
12
Ecclesiastes 8:12
简体中文
“他的日子长久”（His days be prolonged）——即在他的恶行中长久（Ecclesiastes 8:8）。
“我”是强调的用法，似乎要标示出与“世人”（Ecclesiastes 8:11）的对立。
英文原文
His days be prolonged - i. e., in his wickedness Ecclesiastes 8:8.
"I" is emphatic, as if to mark the opposition to the "sons of men" Ecclesiastes 8:11.
14
Ecclesiastes 8:14
简体中文
“在世上所行的”（Which is done ...）——这些话所指向的虚空实例，是神公义表面上的不均；但若把它们与对神绝对公义的个人信仰告白（Ecclesiastes 8:12）联系起来看，结论便无可推诿：无论传道者出于什么理由在宣明信仰上有所保留，他确实是期待着来世状态中的最终审判（参 Ecclesiastes 3:17；Ecclesiastes 12:14）。
英文原文
Which is done upon the earth - The instance of vanity, to which these words are applied, is the seeming inequality of God's justice; but if they are considered in connection with the profession of personal faith in God's absolute justice Ecclesiastes 8:12, the conclusion is irresistible, that, whatever reason the Preacher had for reserve in declaring his belief, he certainly looked forward to final judgment in a future state of existence (compare Ecclesiastes 3:17; Ecclesiastes 12:14).
15
Ecclesiastes 8:15
简体中文
“快乐”（Mirth）——更宜作“欢喜”，或作“喜乐”（如 Ecclesiastes 2:10）。这个希伯来词不仅指从身体感官而来的快乐，也常用于宗教性的喜乐。本节的情操是作者亲身经历中屡屡得出的结论（参旁注相关经文），却被不公地指控为伊壁鸠鲁主义。传道者谨慎地把享乐陈明为从神而来的恩赐——须借劳碌而得，存感谢领受，并向神交账。他对感官之乐的评价记在 Ecclesiastes 7:2-6。
英文原文
Mirth - Better, Gladness, or "joy" (as in Ecclesiastes 2:10). The Hebrew word is applied not only to the pleasures arising from the physical senses, but also frequently to religious joy. The sentiment of this verse is a frequent conclusion of the writer's personal experience (compare marginal references), and is unfairly charged with Epicureanism. The Preacher is careful to set forth pleasure as a gift from God, to be earned by labor, and received with thankfulness to the Giver, and to be accounted for to Him. His estimate of the pleasures of the senses is recorded in Ecclesiastes 7:2-6.
16
Ecclesiastes 8:16
简体中文
这几节补充 Ecclesiastes 8:15，并反思道：人若越出他能劳碌并知足的那有限范围，而去探究神的全部作为，必将发现自己的有限悟性无法测透。
Ecclesiastes 8:16
“事务”（Business）——或作“劳苦”（Ecclesiastes 1:13；Ecclesiastes 3:10）。这里提到的无眠大概指作者自己。
英文原文
These verses supplement Ecclesiastes 8:15 with the reflection that the man who goes beyond that limited sphere within which he can labor and be contented, and investigates the whole work of God, will find that his finite intelligence cannot grasp it.
Ecclesiastes 8:16
Business - Or, "travail" Ecclesiastes 1:13; Ecclesiastes 3:10. The sleeplessness noted probably refers to the writer himself.
所罗门虽然在自己对智慧的追求上多少受了挫折，却仍看智慧为最接近他所寻找之“人的善”的途径；并在此处把顺服的精神当作那智慧的一部分加以力陈（Ecclesiastes 8:1-5）。面对外在世事难以测度的进程，他决意持守对神的敬畏与信靠（Ecclesiastes 8:6-14），并承认每一个人天生无力探寻神那不可测度的作为（Ecclesiastes 8:15-17）。