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英文原文
In this chapter, I. The royal preacher goes on further to show the vanity of worldly wealth, when men place their happiness in it and are eager and inordinate in laying it up. Riches, in the hands of a man that is wise and generous, and good for something, but in the hands of a sordid, sneaking, covetous miser, they are good for nothing. 1. He takes an account of the possessions and enjoyments which such a man may have. He has wealth (Ec 6:2), he has children to inherit it (Ec 6:3), and lives long, Ec 6:3,6. 2. He describes his folly in not taking the comfort of it; he has no power to eat of it, lets strangers devour it, is never filled with good, and at last has no burial, Ec 6:2,3. 3. He condemns it as an evil, a common evil, vanity, and a disease, Ec 6:1,2. 4. He prefers the condition of a still-born child before the condition of such a one, Ec 6:3. The still-born child's infelicity is only negative (Ec 6:4,5), but that of the covetous worldling is positive; he lives a great while to see himself miserable, Ec 6:6. 5. He shows the vanity of riches as pertaining only to the body, and giving no satisfaction to the mind (Ec 6:7,8), and of those boundless desires with which covetous people vex themselves (Ec 6:9), which, if they be gratified ever so fully, leave a man but a man still, Ec 6:10. II. He concludes this discourse of the vanity of the creature with this plain inference from the whole, That it is folly to think of making up a happiness for ourselves in the things of this world, Ec 6:11,12. Our satisfaction must be in another life, not in this.
1-6
The Miseries of Covetousness
贪婪之祸患
¹ 我见日光之下有一宗祸患，这在人之间甚是普遍：
² 就是人蒙神赐他赀财、丰富、尊荣，以致他心里所愿的一样都不缺，只是神使他不能吃用，反有外人来吃用。这是虚空，也是大祸患。
³ 人若生一百个儿女，活许多年岁，以致他的年日甚多，心里却不得满享福乐，又不得埋葬；据我说，那不到期而落的胎比他倒好。
⁴ 因为这是虚虚而来，暗暗而去，名字被黑暗遮蔽；
⁵ 并且没有见过日头，也毫无知觉；这胎比那人倒享安息。
⁶ 那人即使活千年，再加千年，却不见享福；众人岂不都归一个地方去吗？
所罗门在前章末了已表明，善用神护理的恩赐而享其中之乐，何等美好；此处则表明相反之事的祸患，即拥有却不用，积攒起来不知为着将来什么偶发的急难，却不肯在眼下最迫切的关头上花费。这是所罗门自己在日光之下所见的一宗祸患（传 6:1）。日光之下的祸患实在不少。在日光之上另有一个没有祸患的世界；然而神叫日头照好人，也照歹人，这就使祸患更为加重。神已经为他的仆人点亮一盏灯，供他们工作之用，他们却像那又恶又懒的仆人一样埋藏了才干，白白浪费了光，因而不配得这光。所罗门作为君王，曾视察臣民的习俗，并将这祸患视为对公众的损害加以留意，因为公众不仅因人一方面的挥霍受损，也因另一方面的吝啬而受害。正如天然身体中的血液一般，政治身体的财富也是如此：若不流通而停滞，必将生出恶果。所罗门作为传道者，观察所行的种种恶事，为要责备它们、警戒人远离它们。这恶在他日子中甚为普遍，而那时金银极多，按理说应当叫人对财富少些贪恋；那时也是太平之时，并无任何患难的前景，而对某些人来说，这却是囤积的试探。然而除非神的恩典与之同工，没有哪一种护理能凭自身治愈属肉体的心思对世界及其上之事那种败坏的偏爱；不但如此，当财富增添之时，我们最容易将心放在其上。如今关于这吝啬之人，请观察，
I. 他本有充分的理由，当以欢喜快乐的心侍奉神；神待他是何等好。
1. 神赐给他赀财、丰富和尊荣（传 6:2）。请留意，(1. [1.]) 赀财与丰富通常能为人赢得世人所给的尊荣。尽管那不过是一尊像，若是金的像，各族、各国、各方的人都必俯伏敬拜。(2. [2.]) 赀财、丰富、尊荣乃是神的恩赐，是他护理的恩赐；这恩赐不像雨水和日光那样普降众人，而是赐给一些人而不赐给另一些人，全凭神看为合适。(3. [3.]) 然而这些恩赐也赐给许多不善用它们的人，赐给许多神并不赐智慧与恩典、使他们因这些恩赐得着安慰并用以侍奉神的人。普通护理的恩赐赐给许多人，而特殊恩典的恩赐却向他们被拒绝；没有后者，护理的恩赐往往带来的伤害多于益处。
2. 他心里所愿的一样都不缺。 护理对他何等宽厚，他所得的犹如心所愿的那般多，甚且有余（诗 73:7）。他并不为自己的灵魂、为那更美之事渴慕恩典；他所愿的不过是足以满足肉体的欲望，而他已经得着了；他的肚腹被这些隐藏的财宝所充满（诗 17:14）。
3. 此人被假定有一大家人，生一百个儿女，他们是家中的支柱与力量，对他而言犹如满袋的箭，是家中的荣耀与声誉，并可指望借着他们建立自己的名，并得着这世界所能给他的不朽。他们儿女饱足（诗 17:14），而许多神的子民却被记为无子、被剥夺一切。
4. 为使他的幸福圆满，他被假定活许多年，或说许多日子，因为我们的生命当以日子计算而非以年计算：他年日的数目甚多，他的体质如此强健、衰老如此缓慢，以致这些日子可望更多。不但如此，他被假定活一千年（据我们所知，从未有人如此），甚且千年再加千年，这时间的一小部分，按理说已足以因着人自身的经历，说服人明白两种愚妄：那些指望在世俗财富中寻见一切美事之人的愚妄，以及那些指望在其中寻见任何美事、却非为使用之故之人的愚妄。
II. 他对神所赐给他的这一切，几乎没有心去按着赐下的目的加以使用。这就是他的过错与愚妄：他不照所得的恩益加以回报，也不在万物丰盛之中，以欢喜快乐的心侍奉耶和华他的恩主神。他在兴盛之日并不喜乐。你既蒙福，却仍忧愁？ 请看他的愚妄：1. 他舍不得在自己身上享受自己所拥有的。肉摆在他面前；他有能力舒舒坦坦地供养自己和家人，但他没有力量去吃用。他那鄙陋吝啬的性情不容他花费，连在自己身上也不肯，连在自己最必要的事上也不肯。他没有力量用理智将自己从这种荒谬中劝服出来，胜过自己的贪念。他实在软弱，竟没有力量使用神所赐的，因为神不赐给他这力量，倒向他收回，作为对他其余滥用财富之罪的惩罚。因为他没有心意用以侍奉神，神便不赐他力量用以服事自己。2. 他容让那些对他毫无义务的人来侵吞他：有外人来吃用。 这是吝啬之人的共同命运；他们或许连自己的儿女都不信任，但那些善于奉承、惯于钻营的食客攀附者却巧妙地钻入他们心中，找到吞噬他们所有之物的法子，或使他们立下遗嘱把家产归给自己。神安排如此，使外人来吃用。外邦人吞灭他的力量（何 7:9；箴 5:10）。这可以恰如其分地称为虚空，也称为大祸患。 我们若不使用我们所拥有的，便徒然拥有；而那阻止我们使用它的心境，无疑是一种最悲惨的病症。我们最重的疾病，莫过于那发自我们内心败坏的疾病。3. 他剥夺了自己本可从世俗所有之物中得着的福分，不仅失之交臂，更是从中抢夺、将其丢弃：他的心不得满享福乐（传 6:3）。他始终不能满足，不得安宁。他的手满了财富，他的仓满了，他的袋满了，但他的心却不得满享福乐，连那财富本身也不能，因为他仍贪求更多。不但如此（传 6:6），他不见享福；他连眼睛也不得满足，因为那眼仍在观望更远处，并以嫉妒之眼观看那更多的。他连产业所能给人的感官之福也未能享受。他虽不看那不可见之事，即便看那可见之事，也未曾带着真正的喜悦去看。4. *他没有埋葬，没有与其身份相称的葬礼，没有体面的安葬，而是像驴一样被扔掉。*因其性情的鄙陋，他不肯让自己有一个体面的葬礼，甚至禁止之；或说那些吞噬了他的外人，最终使他穷困到无以为葬；或说那些承受他遗物的人，对他的记忆如此淡漠，又对他将要留给他们的东西如此贪求，竟不肯费心为他举行像样的葬礼；若是他的儿女承受，便不会如此吝啬。
III. 传道者将不到期而落的胎列在他之前：不到期而落的胎，就是从母腹直接被抬到坟墓的孩子，比他更好。 从树上未熟先落的果子，胜过任其悬挂直至腐烂的果子。约伯在激情之中，以为不到期而落的胎的光景在逆境中胜过自己的光景（伯 3:16）；但所罗门在此宣告，它在一位世俗之徒处于最大兴盛、世界向他微笑之时，仍胜过他的光景。1. 他承认不到期而落的胎从许多方面看，光景甚为凄凉（传 6:4-5）：它是虚虚而来（因为论到这世界，一个生下来立即死去的人，出生乃是徒然），又暗暗而去；几乎无人理会它；既为流产，它没有名字，即使有，也很快被遗忘、埋没于缄默之中；它的名字要被黑暗遮蔽，正如身体被泥土遮蔽一般。不但如此（传 6:5），它没有见过日头，而是从母腹的黑暗中直接被急急送到坟墓的黑暗里；而比无人认识它更糟的是，它未曾知觉过任何事，因此未能达到那为人最大的喜乐与尊荣之事。那些故意生活在无知之中、对当知之事一无所知的人，并不比那没有见过日头、毫无知觉的不到期之胎更强。2. 然而他仍将其列在贪吝守财奴之前。这不到期而落的胎比那人倒享安息，因为这胎还有安息，那人却毫无安息；这胎没有烦恼与不安，那人却永远动荡，所经历的除了烦恼之外别无所有——而且是他自造的烦恼。生命越短，安息越长；日子越少，我们与这烦扰世界的瓜葛越少，我们所知的烦恼也越少。
他所给的这胎比那人倒享安息的理由，是因为众人都归一个地方去安息，而这胎更早达到安息（传 6:6）。那活一千年的人与那活不过一个时辰的婴孩，去的是同一个地方（传 3:20）。坟墓乃是我们众人将会相会之处。无论人在此世的境遇有何等差异，他们都必死，都伏在同一个判语之下，并且从外表看来，他们的死也都是一样的。坟墓对于此人对于彼人，同样是一片缄默之地、黑暗之地、与活人隔绝之地，也是安睡之所。它是贫富贵贱、智愚学究的共同归宿；短命与长寿之人在坟墓中相会，只是一个骑着快马赶到，另一个走得更慢；两人的尘土相混，躺卧其中，毫无分别。
英文原文
The Miseries of Covetousness
¹ There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:
² A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
³ If a man beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.
⁴ For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.
⁵ Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other.
⁶ Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?
Solomon had shown, in the close of the foregoing chapter, how good it is to make a comfortable use of the gifts of God's providence; now here he shows the evil of the contrary, having and not using, gathering to lay up for I know not what contingent emergencies to come, not to lay out on the most urgent occasions present. This is an evil which Solomon himself saw under the sun, Ec 6:1. A great deal of evil there is under the sun. There is a world above the sun where there is no evil, yet God causes his sun to shine upon the evil as well as upon the good, which is an aggravation of the evil. God has lighted up a candle for his servants to work by, but they bury their talent as slothful and unprofitable, and so waste the light and are unworthy of it. Solomon, as a king, inspected the manners of his subjects, and took notice of this evil as a prejudice to the public, who are damaged not only by men's prodigality on the one hand, but by their penuriousness on the other. As it is with the blood in the natural body, so it is with the wealth of the body politic, if, instead of circulating, it stagnates, it will be of ill consequence. Solomon as a preacher observed the evils that were done that he might reprove them and warn people against them. This evil was, in his days, common, and yet then there was great plenty of silver and gold, which, one would think, should have made people less fond of riches; the times also were peaceable, nor was there any prospect of trouble, which to some is a temptation to hoard. But no providence will of itself, unless the grace of God work with it, cure the corrupt affection that is in the carnal mind to the world and the things of it; nay, when riches increase we are most apt to set our hearts upon them. Now concerning this miser observe,
I. The abundant reason he has to serve God with joyfulness and gladness of heart; how well God has done for him.
1. He has given him riches, wealth, and honour, Ec 6:2. Note, (1.) Riches and wealth commonly gain people honour among men. Though it be but an image, if it be a golden image, all people, nations, and languages, will fall down and worship it. (2.) Riches, wealth, and honour, are God's gifts, the gifts of his providence, and not given, as his rain and sunshine, alike to all, but to some, and not to others, as God sees fit. (3.) Yet they are given to many that do not make a good use of them, to many to whom God does not give wisdom and grace to take the comfort of them and serve God with them. The gifts of common providence are bestowed on many to whom are denied the gifts of a special grace, without which the gifts of providence often do more hurt than good.
2. He wants nothing for his soul of all that he desires. Providence has been so liberal to him that he has as much as heart could wish, and more, Ps 73:7. He does not desire grace for his soul, the better part; all he desires is enough to gratify the sensual appetite, and that he has; his belly is filled with these hidden treasures, Ps 17:14.
3. He is supposed to have a numerous family, to beget a hundred children, which are the stay and strength of his house and as a quiver full of arrows to him, which are the honour and credit of his house, and in whom he has the prospect of having his name built up and having all the immortality this world can give him. They are full of children (Ps 17:14), while many of God's people are written childless and stripped of all.
4. To complete his happiness, he is supposed to live many years, or rather many days, for our life is to be reckoned rather by days than years: The days of his years are many, and so healthful is his constitution, and so slowly does age creep upon him, that they are likely to be many more. Nay, he is supposed to live a thousand years (which no man, that we know of, ever did), nay, a thousand years twice told, a small part of which time, one would think, were enough to convince men, by their own experience, of the folly both of those that expect to find all good in worldly wealth, and of those that expect to find any good in it but in using it.
II. The little heart he has to use this which God gives him, for the ends and purposes for which it was given him. This is his fault and folly that he renders not again according to the benefit done unto him, and serves not the Lord God his benefactor, with joyfulness and gladness of heart, in the abundance of all things. In the day of prosperity he is not joyful. Tristis es, et felix?—Art thou happy, yet sad? See his folly: 1. He cannot find in his heart to take the comfort of what he has himself. He has meat before him; he has wherewith to maintain himself and his family comfortably, but he has not power to eat thereof. His sordid niggardly temper will not suffer him to lay it out, no, not upon himself, no, not upon that which is most necessary for himself. He has not power to reason himself out of this absurdity, to conquer his covetous humour. He is weak indeed, who has not power to use what God gives him, for God gives him not that power, but withholds it from him, to punish him for his other abuses of his wealth. Because he has not the will to serve God with it, God denies him the power to serve himself with it. 2. He suffers those to prey upon him that he is under no obligation to: A stranger eateth it. This is the common fate of misers; they will not trust their own children perhaps, but retainers and hangers-on, that have the art of wheedling, insinuate themselves into them, and find ways of devouring what they have, or getting it to be left to them by their wills. God orders it so that a stranger eats it. Strangers devour his strength, Ho 7:9, Pr 5:10. This may be well called vanity, and an evil disease. What we have we have in vain if we do not use it; and that temper of mind is certainly a most wretched distemper which keeps us from using it. Our worst diseases are those that arise from the corruption of our own hearts. 3. He deprives himself of the good that he might have had of his worldly possessions, not only forfeits it, but robs himself of it and throws it from him: His soul is not filled with good, Ec 6:3. He is still unsatisfied and uneasy. His hands are filled with riches, his barns filled, and his bags filled, but his soul is not filled with good, no, not with that good, for it is still craving more. Nay (Ec 6:6), he has not seen good; he cannot so much as please his eye, for that is still looking further and looking with envy on those that have more. He has not even the sensible good of an estate. Though he looks not beyond the things that are seen, yet he looks not with any true pleasure even on them. 4. He has no burial, none agreeable to his rank, no decent burial, but the burial of an ass. Through the sordidness of his temper he will not allow himself a fashionable burial, but forbids it, or the strangers that have eaten him up leave him so poor, at last, that he has not wherewithal, or those to whom he leaves what he has have so little esteem for his memory, and are so greedy of what they are to have from him, that they will not be at the charges of burying him handsomely, which his own children, if he had left it to them, would not have grudged him.
III. The preference which the preacher gives to an untimely birth before him: An untimely birth, a child that is carried from the womb to the grave, is better than he. Better is the fruit that drops from the tree before it is ripe than that which is left to hang on till it is rotten. Job, in his passion, thinks the condition of an untimely birth better than his when he was in adversity (Job 3:16); but Solomon here pronounces it better than the condition of a worldling in his greatest prosperity, when the world smiles upon him. 1. He grants the condition of an untimely birth, upon many accounts, to be very sad (Ec 6:4,5): He comes in with vanity (for, as to this world, he that is born and dies immediately was born in vain), and he departs in darkness; little or no notice is taken of him; being an abortive, he has no name, or, if he had, it would soon be forgotten and buried in oblivion; it would be covered with darkness, as the body is with the earth. Nay (Ec 6:5), he has not seen the sun, but from the darkness of the womb he is hurried immediately to that of the grave, and, which is worse than not being known to any, he has not known any thing, and therefore has come short of that which is the greatest pleasure and honour of man. Those that live in wilful ignorance, and know nothing to purpose, are no better than an untimely birth that has not seen the sun nor known any thing. 2. Yet he prefers it before that of a covetous miser. This untimely birth has more rest than the other, for this has some rest, but the other has none; this has no trouble and disquiet, but the other is in perpetual agitation, and has nothing but trouble, trouble of his own making. The shorter the life is the longer the rest; and the fewer the days, and the less we have to do with this troublesome world, the less trouble we know.
The reason he gives why this has more rest is because all go to one place to rest in, and this is sooner at his rest, Ec 6:6. He that lives a thousand years goes to the same place with the child that does not live an hour, Ec 3:20. The grave is the place we shall all meet in. Whatever differences there may be in men's condition in this world, they must all die, are all under the same sentence, and, to outward appearance, their deaths are alike. The grave is to one, as well as another, a land of silence, of darkness, of separation from the living, and a sleeping-place. It is the common rendezvous of rich and poor, honourable and mean, learned and unlearned; the short-lived and long-lived meet in the grave, only one rides post thither, the other goes by a slower conveyance; the dust of both mingles, and lies undistinguished.
7-10
The Insatiableness of Desire
欲望的不能知足
⁷ 人的劳碌都为口腹，心里却不知足。
⁸ 这样看来，智慧人比愚昧人有什么长处呢？穷人在活人面前知道怎样行，有什么长处呢？
⁹ 眼睛所看的，胜过心里妄想的。这也是虚空，也是捕风。
¹⁰ 先前所有的，早已起了名，并知道何为人，他也不能与那比自己力大的相争。
传道者在此进一步指明，积攒属世的财富并指望在其中得着幸福，是何等的虚空与愚妄。
I. 我们无论为世事怎样劳碌，从中得着什么，为自己所能拥有的不过是一份糊口之需而已（传6:7）：人的劳碌都为口腹，这口腹向他所求的（箴16:26）；不过饮食与衣裳而已；多余的乃是别人得着，不是我们；这一切都为口腹。食物不过是为肚腹，肚腹也为食物；并没有什么为头脑、为心灵的，没有什么可以滋养或充实灵魂。一点点就足以舒适地维持我们，再多也不过如此。
II. 那些拥有极多的人仍旧贪求无厌；任凭人为口腹怎样劳碌，心里却不知足。1. 天然的欲望总是不断复返、不断催逼；人今日得以饱餐，明日仍要饥饿。2. 属世的、罪恶的欲望是永无满足的（传5:10）。财富对贪恋世俗之人正如饮酒之于患水肿者，不过更加增其渴。有人将全节如此译解：纵然人一切的劳碌都如他所愿（ori ejus obveniat——即与他的意图相符，Juv.），完全合乎己意，他的欲望仍不得满足，他仍然想要更多。3. 灵魂的欲望在属世的财富中找不到任何可以使其满足的事物。灵魂不得知足，原文正是如此。当 神赐给以色列他们所求的*，便使心灵软弱（诗106:15）。那个无知之人，在仓房满盈之时却说：灵魂哪，只管安安逸逸，正是如此。
III. 愚昧人也许拥有与智慧人同样多的属世财富，也许享受其中同样多的乐趣，甚至可能不那么敏锐地感受其中的烦恼：智慧人比愚昧人有什么长处呢？（传6:8）。或许他并没有愚昧人那样好的家业、好的营生，或那样好的官职。再者，纵然假定他们财产相当，一个智慧人、学者、才子、政治家，又能从自己的财产中榨出什么比必需的供应更多的东西呢？而一个半痴之人也能做到这一点。一个愚昧人可以吃得一样好，品得一样有滋味，穿得一样体面，在任何公开场合都同样风光；因此，若非心智上独有的乐趣与尊荣——这确实是智慧人比愚昧人多过愚昧人的——那么就这世界而论，他们便毫无分别。
IV. 甚至一个贫穷的人，若有所营生，并在经营之时审慎、勤勉、灵巧，也可以像那负担着臃肿家业的人一样舒适地度过此世。试想穷人有什么不及富人的，只要他知道在活人面前怎样行，知道如何体面地处世并对众人尽本分，知道如何靠自己的劳碌得着诚实的生计，知道如何善用光阴、把握机会。他有什么呢？嗯，他在邻舍中更受人爱戴、更受人敬重，比许多贪婪而傲慢的富人更有好的人脉。他有什么呢？嗯，他同样享有此生之乐，拥有饮食和衣裳便以此为足，这样他与那拥有丰盛的人一样是真正的富足。
V. 享受我们既有的，不能不承认比贪婪地攫取更多更为合理（传6:9）：眼睛所看的——善用眼前之物——胜过心里妄想的——那不安的心灵追逐远处之事、贪求种种虚幻满足的游荡。那常常知足的人，尽管拥有的何其少，也比那常常贪求的人，尽管拥有的何其多，幸福得多。我们不能说：眼睛所看的胜过将欲望定睛于 神、使灵魂在他里面得安息；凭着信心面对将来的事而活，胜过凭着感官只关注眼前之事而活；然而眼睛所看的胜过那向世界及其中之事游荡的欲望——再没有比这更不确定、即使在最好的情形下也更不能满足人的了。这妄想的游荡就是虚空，也是捕风。它在最好的情形下也是虚空；若所愿的得以实现，却证明并不如我们所期；而通常游荡的欲望受挫落空，便转为心灵的烦恼。
VI. 我们的际遇无论为何，都是 神的旨意所为我们指定的，不能更改，因此我们的智慧乃是与自己和好，甘心顺服（传6:10）：先前所有的，或（如有人所译）现今所有的，并将来也必如此的，早已起了名；它早已在 神的预知之中定规，我们一切的努力与劳苦都不能使其与所定的有所更改。*Jacta est alea——骰子已经掷出。*因此，与那必如其然的事物相争乃是愚妄，将必要化作美德才是智慧。我们必将得着 神所喜悦的，愿这也使我们喜悦。
VII. 我们在这世上无论有何成就，仍不过是人，最大的财富和尊荣也不能使我们超脱人生共同的灾祸：先前所有的，并现今所有的，这忙碌的活物，在世上掀起如此风潮、发出如此喧嚣的，早已起了名。造他的主已赐他名字，并知道何为人；这就是他当借此认识自己的名字，而这是一个使人谦卑的名字（创5:2）。他称他们的名为亚当；他们一切所有的都有同样的特性，即红土。纵使一个人能成为君王与列省一切宝藏的主人，他仍是人——卑微、易变、必死，随时可能被卷入那人所共受的灾祸之中。富贵之人当知道并思想自己不过是人（诗9:20），这是好的。要知道他们不过是人；任凭他们装出怎样的脸色，像推罗王一样将心比作神的心，然而埃及人不过是人，不是神，这是众所周知的。
VIII. 我们的欲望无论飘流多远，我们的努力无论多么紧紧相随，我们都不能与 神的护理相争，而必须顺服他的安排，无论我们愿与不愿。既是人，就不能与那比自己力大的相争。指控 神的作为、指责他愚妄或不义，乃是僭妄；向他抱怨也毫无益处，因为他心志已定，谁能使他转回呢？以利户用这个无可辩驳的原则劝慰约伯：神比世人更大（伯33:12），因此人不可与他相争，也不可抗拒他奉命而来的审判。人不能以最大的财富在疾病或死亡的拘捕面前支撑得住，而必须屈服于自己的命运。
英文原文
The Insatiableness of Desire
⁷ All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
⁸ For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?
⁹ Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
¹⁰ That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.
The preacher here further shows the vanity and folly of heaping up worldly wealth and expecting happiness in it.
I. How much soever we toil about the world, and get out of it, we can have for ourselves no more than a maintenance (Ec 6:7): All the labour of man is for his mouth, which craves it of him (Pr 16:26); it is but food and raiment; what is more others have, not we; it is all for the mouth. Meats are but for the belly and the belly for meats; there is nothing for the head and heart, nothing to nourish or enrich the soul. A little will serve to sustain us comfortably and a great deal can do no more.
II. Those that have ever so much are still craving; let a man labour ever so much for his mouth, yet the appetite is not filled. 1. Natural desires are still returning, still pressing; a man may be feasted to-day and yet hungry to-morrow. 2. Worldly sinful desires are insatiable, Ec 5:10. Wealth to a worldling is like drink to one in a dropsy, which does but increase the thirst. Some read the whole verse thus: Though all a man's labour fall out to his own mind (ori ejus obveniat—so as to correspond with his views, Juv.), just as himself would have it, yet his desire is not satisfied, still he has a mind to something more. 3. The desires of the soul find nothing in the wealth of the world to give them any satisfaction. The soul is not filled, so the word is. When God gave Israel their request he sent leanness into their souls, Ps 106:15. He was a fool who, when his barns were full, said, Soul, take thine ease.
III. A fool may have as much worldly wealth, and may enjoy as much of the pleasure of it, as a wise man; nay, and perhaps not be so sensible of the vexation of it: What has the wise more than the fool? Ec 6:8. Perhaps he has not so good an estate, so good a trade, nor such good preferment as the fool has. Nay, suppose them to be equal in their possessions, what can a wise man, a scholar, a wit, a politician, squeeze out of his estate more than needful supplies? and a half-witted man may do this. A fool can fare as well and relish it, can dress as well, and make as good a figure in any public appearance, as a wise man; so that if there were not pleasures and honour peculiar to the mind, which the wise man has more than the fool, as to this world they would be upon a level.
IV. Even a poor man, who has business, and is discreet, diligent, and dexterous, in the management of it, may get as comfortably through this world as he that is loaded with an overgrown estate. Consider what the poor has less than the rich, if he but knows to walk before the living, knows how to conduct himself decently, and do his duty to all, how to get an honest livelihood by his labour, how to spend his time well and improve his opportunities. What has he? Why, he is better beloved and more respected among his neighbours, and has a better interest than many a rich man that is griping and haughty. What has he? Why he has as much of the comfort of this life, has food and raiment, and is therewith content, and so is as truly rich as he that has abundance.
V. The enjoyment of what we have cannot but be acknowledged more rational than a greedy grasping at more (Ec 6:9): Better is the sight of the eyes, making the best of that which is present, than the wandering of the desire, the uneasy walking of the soul after things at a distance, and the affecting of a variety of imaginary satisfactions. He is much happier that is always content, though he has ever so little, than he that is always coveting, though he has ever so much. We cannot say, Better is the sight of the eyes than the fixing of the desire upon God, and the resting of the soul in him; it is better to live by faith in things to come than to live by sense, which dwells only upon present things; but better is the sight of the eyes than the roving of the desire after the world, and the things of it, than which nothing is more uncertain nor more unsatisfying at the best. This wandering of the desire is vanity and vexation of spirit. It is vanity at the best; if what is desired, be obtained, it proves not what we promised ourselves from it, but commonly the wandering desire is crossed and disappointed, and then it turns to vexation of spirit.
VI. Our lot, whatever it is, is that which is appointed us by the counsel of God, which cannot be altered, and it is therefore our wisdom to reconcile ourselves to it and cheerfully to acquiesce in it (Ec 6:10): That which has been, or (as some read it) that which is, and so likewise that which shall be, is named already; it is already determined in the divine foreknowledge, and all our care and pains cannot make it otherwise than as it is fixed. Jacta est alea—The die is cast. It is therefore folly to quarrel with that which will be as it is, and wisdom to make a virtue of necessity. We shall have what pleases God, and let that please us.
VII. Whatever we attain to in this world, still we are but men, and the greatest possessions and preferments cannot set us above the common accidents of human life: That which has been, and is, that busy animal that makes such a stir and such a noise in the world, is named already. He that made him gave him his name, and it is known that it is man; that is his name by which he must know himself, and it is a humbling name, Ge 5:2. He called their name Adam; and all theirs have the same character, red earth. Though a man could make himself master of all the treasures of kings and provinces, yet he is a man still, mean, mutable, and mortal, and may at any time be involved in the calamities that are common to men. It is good for rich and great men to know and consider that they are but men, Ps 9:20. It is known that they are but men; let them put what face they will upon it, and, like the king of Tyre, set their heart as the heart of God, yet the Egyptians are men, and not gods, and it is known that they are so.
VIII. How far soever our desires wander, and how closely soever our endeavours keep pace with them, we cannot strive with the divine Providence, but must submit to the disposals of it, whether we will or no. If it is man, he may not contend with him that is mightier than he. It is presumption to arraign God's proceedings, and to charge him with folly or iniquity; nor is it to any purpose to complain of him, for he is in one mind and who can turn him? Elihu pacifies Job with this incontest able principle, That God is greater than man (Job 33:12) and therefore man may not contend with him, nor resist his judgments, when they come with commission. A man cannot with the greatest riches make his part good against the arrests of sickness or death, but must yield to his fate.
11-12
The Insatiableness of Desire
欲望的不能知足
¹¹ 加增虚空的事既多，这与使人有什么益处呢？
¹² 人一生虚度的日子，就如影儿经过，谁知道什么与他有益呢？谁能告诉他身后在日光之下有什么事呢？
此处，1. 所罗门提出他所要证明的结论——这已由前文充分确认：加增虚空的事既多；人的生命本来就是虚空的，在最好的情形下也是如此，又有无数的意外事件共同使它更加虚空；甚至那自称要减少虚空、使生命少些烦恼的事物，反倒增加了虚空。2. 他由此推论出几点，进一步证实这一真理。（1.）人并不因他在世上所有的丰盛而更近真正的幸福：这与使人有什么益处呢？——他的财富和快乐、他的尊荣和官职，对人有什么益处？所留给人的是什么？他所余的是什么？所超出的盈余是什么？当他结算账目之时，他所得的实际利益是什么？没有任何能对他有益、能算得数的东西。（2.）我们不知当为何祈愿，因为我们指望在其中得最大满足的，往往对我们成为最大的烦恼：人一生虚度的日子，谁知道什么与他有益呢？——在这凡事都是虚空的一生中，任何事——甚至我们最贪图的事——都可能成为我们的灾祸？慎思之人若知道何为至善，便挂虑凡事都为至善而行；但是，正如我们易于渴求那实在有害之物以为于己有益——如孩童哭求刀子以致割伤手指——这是我们心之败坏的实例；照样，按照一切合理推测看为至善之事，往往反成其反，这正是这世界虚空的实例；我们对事物的结局和结果如此目光短浅，而我们一切对受造之物的信赖都是如此破碎的芦苇。我们不知当如何向别人进至善之言，也不知当如何自己行事，因为我们以为可能于我们有益的事，可能成为一个网罗。（3.）因此，我们在世的生命，并没有理由使我们对之大为自满，也没有理由确信其将延续。它是当以日子来计算的；它不过是虚度的日子，我们度之如影儿经过——其中如此少有实质，如此飞逝、如此不确定、如此短暂，其中如此少有可贪恋或可靠赖之物。若生命的一切安慰都是虚空，生命本身便不能有什么实在可言，可以为我们构成幸福。（4.）我们对这世界的指望，正如我们的享受一样，又不确定又欺人。既然凡事都是虚空，谁能告诉他身后在日光之下有什么事呢？他既不能借身后之事——为他的儿女和家人——的指望而自娱，正如他不能以眼前之物的滋味自娱一样；因为他既不能自己预见，也不能由别人向他预告身后的事。他离去之后，也不会有人将这情报送给他。*他的儿子得尊荣，他也不知道。*因此，无论我们怎样看，虚空的虚空，凡事都是虚空。
英文原文
The Insatiableness of Desire
¹¹ Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?
¹² For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?
Here, 1. Solomon lays down his conclusion which he had undertaken to prove, as that which was fully confirmed by the foregoing discourse: There be many things that increase vanity; the life of man is vain, at the best, and there are abundance of accidents that concur to make it more so; even that which pretends to increase the vanity and make it more vexatious. 2. He draws some inferences from it, which serve further to evince the truth of it. (1.) That a man is never the nearer to true happiness for the abundance that he has in this world: What is man the better for his wealth and pleasure, his honour and preferment? What remains to man? What residuum has he, what overplus, what real advantage, when he comes to balance his accounts? Nothing that will do him any good or turn to account. (2.) That we do not know what to wish for, because that which we promise ourselves most satisfaction in often proves most vexatious to us: Who knows what is good for a man in this life, where every thing is vanity, and any thing, even that which we most covet, may prove a calamity to us? Thoughtful people are in care to do every thing for the best, if they knew it; but as it is an instance of the corruption of our hearts that we are apt to desire that as good for us which is really hurtful, as children that cry for knives to cut their fingers with, so is it an instance of the vanity of this world that what, according to all probable conjectures, seems to be for the best, often proves otherwise; such is our shortsightedness concerning the issues and events of things, and such broken reeds are all our creature-confidences. We know not how to advise others for the best, nor how to act ourselves, because that which we apprehend likely to be for our welfare may become a trap. (3.) That therefore our life upon earth is what we have no reason to take any great complacency in, or to be confident of the continuance of. It is to be reckoned by days; it is but a vain life, and we spend it as a shadow, so little is there in it substantial, so fleeting, so uncertain, so transitory is it, and so little in it to be fond of or to be depended on. If all the comforts of life be vanity, life itself can have no great reality in it to constitute a happiness for us. (4.) That our expectations from this world are as uncertain and deceitful as our enjoyments are. Since every thing is vanity, Who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun? He can no more please himself with the hopes of what shall be after him, to his children and family, than with the relish of what is with him, since he can neither foresee himself, nor can any one else foretel to him, what shall be after him. Nor shall he have any intelligence sent him of it when he is gone. His sons come to honour, and he knows it not. So that, look which way we will, Vanity of vanity, all is vanity.
在本章中： I. 这位王者传道者继续进一步表明世俗财富的虚空——当人将幸福寄托于其中，并急切而无度地囤积时。 财富在智慧、慷慨、有所作为之人手中尚有用处；但在卑鄙、猥琐、贪婪的守财奴手中，则一无是处。 1. 他述说了这样的人可能拥有的产业与享乐。 他有财富（传 6:2），他有儿女可以继承（传 6:3），且享长寿（传 6:3,6）。 2. 他描述了此人因不知享用其中安慰而显出的愚妄：他没有能力享用，任由外人吞没，从不因美物而知足，最终连安葬之处也没有（传 6:2,3）。 3. 他判定这是一桩灾患，是常见的灾患，是虚空，是一种病（传 6:1,2）。 4. 他认为一个未足月而产的婴儿的境况，比这样的人的境况还好（传 6:3）。 那婴儿的不幸仅是消极的（传 6:4,5），而那贪婪世俗之辈的不幸却是积极的；他活了很久，只为看到自己的悲惨（传 6:6）。 5. 他指出财富的虚空，因它只关乎身体，对心灵毫无满足可言（传 6:7,8）；也指出贪婪之人用以折磨自己的那些无止境的欲望（传 6:9），这些欲望纵然得到最充分的满足，仍不过是叫人还是人而已（传 6:10）。 II. 他以这一从全篇所得的明确推论，结束了关于受造之物虚空的论述：妄想在这个世界的事物中为自己建立幸福，乃是愚妄（传 6:11,12）。 我们的满足必须在于来生，而非今生。