서론
Ecclesiastes 8 Introduction
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
誰又如——更好譯作「又如那通達的人」。智慧的所有者勝過眾人：智慧使他的面容煥發安詳，除去陰沉或威厲的神色（見旁註）。
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
起誓——指所羅門登基時眾人向他效忠的起誓（見歷代志上 29:24 旁註）。
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
不要……行惡——意即「不要固執於悖逆」。
英文原文
Stand not ... - i. e., "Do not persist in rebellion."
5
Ecclesiastes 8:5
曉得——按字面是「知道」。意思是：「遵守命令的（即傳道書 8:4 所說王的話），必不涉入任何叛逆之舉；他若是智慧人，便曉得（按字面是知道）王的命令或行動若有錯誤，到了神的時候、按神的判斷，終必受糾正。」比較傳道書 3:11、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
因為……所以——或如傳道書 8:7 那樣作「因為」。
神的時候與審判可能與王的旨意或命令（傳道書 8:5）相抵觸，這可能性引人想到：這樣的不和諧，是人（或說人類）共有的苦惱（禍患，見傳道書 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
何時——或照旁註的譯法。這一節的意思，比較旁註所引的經文。
英文原文
When - Or, as in the margin. For the meaning of this verse, compare marginal references.
8
Ecclesiastes 8:8
無人有權力——更好譯作：「也沒有權力」。比較傳道書 3:19。
無人能免……——意即「無人能豁免於生死最後搏鬥的時刻」。
邪惡——惡人的性命雖可延長（傳道書 7:15），邪惡本身卻沒有內在的能力延長那性命。
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
傷害自己——或作「傷害臣民」。這裡所論的仍是不智之王：他的命令甚至害及那順從他的智慧人，人也照樣順從（傳道書 8:2）。
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
意即：「我看見惡人（統治者）埋葬，他們來了世界，又從聖所（權柄與審判之座位，申命記 19:17；歷代志下 19:6）離去；他們在那樣轄制百姓、使他們受損的城中，竟被遺忘：這事——他們的死亡與被忘——表明他們的分也是虛空。」另有人將這節解作：「我看見惡人埋葬；（另有人）來到世界，又從聖所出去、離開世界，在他們曾行正事的城中被人遺忘」（比較列王紀下 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
年日增多——指在惡中存活長久（傳道書 8:8）。
「我」是強調的，彷彿要標明與「世人」（傳道書 8:11）的對照。
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
在世人中所行的——這話所指的虛空實例，是神公義表面上的不均；但若把這話與個人信靠神絕對公義的表白（傳道書 8:12）連起來看，結論便無可推諉：無論傳道者宣明其信仰時有何保留的理由，他確實前瞻到將來存在狀態中的最終審判（比較傳道書 3:17；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
喜樂——更好譯作：快樂，或「喜樂」（如傳道書 2:10）。這希伯來字不僅指感官而來的愉悅，也常用於宗教的喜樂。這一節的情操是作者個人經驗中屢屢得出的結論（見旁註），卻被不公正地指控為享樂主義。傳道者謹慎地將快樂陳明為出於神的恩賜——藉勞碌而得、向賜予者感恩領受、並要向祂交帳。他對感官之樂的評價記在傳道書 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
這幾節補充傳道書 8:15，反思道：人若越過他可以勞碌並得滿足的那有限範圍，去探究神的全部作為，必發現他有限的智力無法領會。
傳道書 8:16
事務——或作「勞碌」（傳道書 1:13；3:10）。此處所記的不得安眠，大概指作者本人。
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.
所羅門雖然在自己對智慧的追求上多少受了挫，卻仍然看智慧為最接近他所尋找之「人的善」的路；並在此處將順服的靈當作那智慧的一部分加以力陳（Ecclesiastes 8:1-5）。面對外在世事難以測度的進程，他定意持守對神的敬畏與信靠（Ecclesiastes 8:6-14），並承認每一個人都天生無力尋出神那不可探究的作為（Ecclesiastes 8:15-17）。