서론
無標題
英文原文
Solomon, in this chapter, for a further proof of the vanity of this world, gives us four observations which he had made upon a survey of the state of the children of men in it:—I. He observed that commonly as to outward things, good and bad men fare much alike, Ec 9:1-3. II. That death puts a final period to all our employments and enjoyments in this world (Ec 9:4-6), whence he infers that it is our wisdom to enjoy the comforts of life and mind the business of life, while it lasts, Ec 9:7-10. III. That God's providence often crosses the fairest and most hopeful probabilities of men's endeavour, and great calamities often surprise men ere they are aware, Ec 9:11,12. IV. That wisdom often makes men very useful, and yet gains them little respect, for that persons of great merit are slighted, Ec 9:13-18. And what is there then in this world that should make us fond of it?
1-3
Mysteries in Providence
護理中的奧祕
¹ 我將這一切事放在心上，詳細考究，就是義人和智慧人，並他們的作為，都在神手中；或是愛，或是恨，都在他們前面，人不能知道。
² 凡臨到眾人的際遇都是一樣：義人和惡人，好人、潔淨人和不潔淨人，獻祭的與不獻祭的，也是一樣。好人如何，罪人也如何；起誓的，如何怕起誓的也是一樣。
³ 在日光之下所行的一切事上，有一件禍患：就是眾人所遭遇的都是一樣；並且世人的心充滿了惡，活著的時候心裏狂妄，後來就歸死人那裏去了。
有人觀察到，那些自稱尋找哲人石的人，雖然從未找到他們所尋求的，卻在尋找的過程中發現了許多其他有用的東西和實驗。所羅門也是如此：在上一章結尾，他「專心察究神的作為」，費了極大的心力去探究，雖然他放棄了找出它的希望，卻找到了那足以回報他這番搜尋、並給他一些滿足的東西，他在此向我們陳明；「因為」他「將這一切事放在心上」，鄭重地加以權衡，為要「詳細考究」出來造福別人。請注意，我們所當「陳明」的，當先加以「考究」；三思而後一言；而我們所已「考究」的，便當「陳明」。「我因信，所以如此說話。」
所羅門在研讀護理之書時所遇到的大難題是：在安慰與苦難的分配、在事件的處置上，善人與惡人之間幾乎沒有差別。這一點使許多有智慧和深思的人困惑不已。所羅門在Ec 9:1-3論到這事，雖然他不承諾找出這「神的作為」，卻說了一些可以防止它成為我們絆腳石的話。
I. 在他描述這試探的全貌之前，他先提出一個偉大而無可置疑的真理——他決心堅守的，若被堅信，便足以粉碎試探的力量。這一直是神的百姓在面對這難題時的方法。約伯在論到這事之前，先確立神全知的教義（伯24:1），耶利米確立祂公義的教義（耶12:1），另一位先知確立祂聖潔的教義（哈1:13），詩篇作者確立祂對自己百姓的良善和特別恩寵（詩73:1）——而這正是所羅門在此抓住並決心堅守的：雖然善與惡看來似乎雜亂地分配，但神特別看顧和關心自己的百姓：「義人和智慧人，並他們的作為，都在神手中」——在祂特別的保護和引導之下；他們一切的事務都由祂管理，為他們的益處；他們一切智慧和義的作為「都在祂手中」，要在來世得著報償，雖不在今世。他們看來似乎被交在「仇敵手中」，但事實並非如此。人對他們「沒有能力，除非是從上頭賜的」。影響他們的事件不是偶然發生的，一切都是照神的旨意和計劃，祂要使那看來最不利於他們的事轉為對他們有益。願這使我們在任何事上都安然自在：神的一切聖徒都在祂手中，申33:3，約10:29，詩31:15。
II. 他以此為法則：神的愛和恨不可根據人外在的境遇來衡量和判斷。倘若興旺是神的愛的確鑿標記，患難是祂的恨的確鑿標記，那麼看到惡人和敬虔人遭遇相同，就理當冒犯我們。但事實並非如此：「人不能憑他面前的一切」——憑這世上那些感官可觸及的事物——「知道或是愛，或是恨」。這些我們可以憑我們裏面的知道：我們若全心全意愛神，便可因此知道祂愛我們；我們若受那與神為敵的屬肉體之心所轄制，也可因此知道我們在祂的忿怒之下。這些將憑將來的事知道——憑人永遠的狀態；人之所以幸福或悲慘，是根據他們是在神的愛還是恨之下，而不是根據他們是在世界的微笑還是皺眉之下；因此神若愛一個義人（祂確實如此），即使世界對他皺眉，他仍是幸福的；神若恨一個惡人（祂確實如此），即使世界對他微笑，他仍是悲慘的。如此，這種事件雜亂分配所引起的冒犯便消失了。
III. 在確立了這些原則之後，他承認「凡臨到眾人的際遇都是一樣」；從前如此，因此我們不可因如今如此、因這事臨到我們和我們的家庭而覺得奇怪。有人將這以及隨後到Ec 9:13的一切視為無神論者反對神護理教義的扭曲推論；但我寧可將之視為所羅門的讓步——他既已確立那些足以防備任何不當使用的真理，便可以更自由地作出這個讓步。請注意此處（Ec 9:2）：
1. 義人與惡人的品格之間存在的巨大差別，在幾個實例中被一一對照，以表明雖然「凡臨到眾人的際遇都是一樣」，這卻絲毫不混淆道德善惡之間永恆的區別，那區別仍然不可改變。（1）義人是「潔淨」的，有「清潔的手和純潔的心」；惡人是「不潔淨」的，受不潔的情慾轄制，「在自己眼中」或許「清潔」，卻「未從污穢中得潔淨」——神在來世必在「潔淨與不潔淨、寶貴與下賤」之間作出分別，雖然祂在今世似乎沒有如此行。（2）義人「獻祭」，即他們按神的旨意敬拜神，無論是內在還是外在的敬拜；惡人「不獻祭」，即他們疏忽神的敬拜，不願為祂的尊榮捨棄甚麼。「全能者是谁，我們竟要事奉祂呢？」（3）義人是「好人」，在神眼中為善，在世上行善；惡人是「罪人」，違背神和人的律法，激怒兩者。（4）惡人「起誓」，不敬畏神的名，以輕率和虛假的起誓褻瀆它；義人「怕起誓」——不輕易起誓，一旦奉命起誓便以極大的恭敬行之；他怕起誓，因為這是對神作為見證者和審判者的莊嚴呼求；他起了誓之後怕違背，因為施行報應的神是公義的。
2. 義人與惡人在這世上的境遇之間存在的微小差別：「義人和惡人……有一樣的際遇。」大衛富足嗎？拿八也一樣。約瑟蒙君王恩寵嗎？哈曼也一樣。亞哈在陣上被殺嗎？約西亞也一樣。壞無花果被帶到巴比倫嗎？好的也一樣，耶24:1。同一事件對一方和另一方的根源、設計和性質有著天壤之別；其效果和結局也截然不同；同一護理對一方是「作了活的香氣叫人活」，對另一方是「作了死的香氣叫人死」，雖然就外表看來是一樣的。
IV. 他承認這對那些智慧和善良的人而言是極大的苦楚：「『這是一件禍患』，最大的困惑，『在日光之下所行的一切事上』（Ec 9:3）；沒有甚麼比這事更令我不安了——『就是眾人所遭遇的都是一樣』。」它使無神論者剛硬，使作惡之人壯膽；因為正因如此，「世人的心充滿了惡」，「完全傾向行惡」，Ec 8:11。當他們看見「義人和惡人遭遇相同」時，便惡意地推論：神對他們是義是惡毫不在乎，因此他們為了滿足私慾而無所顧忌。
V. 為進一步澄清這一大難題，正如他以義人的幸福之教義開始這段論述（無論他們受甚麼苦，他們「和他們的作為都在神手中」，因此在好手中，不能更好），他也以惡人的悲慘之教義結束：無論他們多麼興旺，「活著的時候心裏狂妄，後來就歸死人那裏去了」。不要嫉妒作惡之人的興旺，因為：1. 他們如今是狂人，他們看似擁有的一切樂趣，不過如精神錯亂之人那愉快的夢境和幻想。他們「因偶像顛狂」（耶50:38），對神的百姓「發狂」（徒26:11）。當浪子悔改時，經上說他「醒悟過來」（路15:17），暗示他此前是神志不清的。2. 他們不久便是死人。他們「活著的時候」大肆喧嘩、忙忙碌碌，但不久之後，「就歸死人那裏去了」，他們的一切排場和權勢便告終結；那時他們要為自己在罪中的一切狂妄和暴行受審判。雖然在死亡的這一邊，義人與惡人看來相似，但在死亡的那一邊，兩者之間將有天壤之別。
英文原文
Mysteries in Providence
¹ For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.
² All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.
³ This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
It has been observed concerning those who have pretended to search for the philosophers' stone that, though they could never find what they sought for, yet in the search they have hit upon many other useful discoveries and experiments. Thus Solomon, when, in the close of the foregoing chapter, he applied his heart to know the work of God, and took a great deal of pains to search into it, though he despaired of finding it out, yet he found out that which abundantly recompensed him for the search, and gave him some satisfaction, which he here gives us; for therefore he considered all this in his heart, and weighed it deliberately, that he might declare it for the good of others. Note, What we are to declare we should first consider; think twice before we speak once; and what we have considered we should then declare. I believed, therefore have I spoken.
The great difficulty which Solomon met with in studying the book of providence was the little difference that is made between good men and bad in the distribution of comforts and crosses, and the disposal of events. This has perplexed the minds of many wise and contemplative men. Solomon discourses of it in Ec 9:1-3, and, though he does not undertake to find out this work of God, yet he says that which may prevent its being a stumbling-block to us.
I. Before he describes the temptation in its strength he lays down a great and unquestionable truth, which he resolves to adhere to, and which, if firmly believed, will be sufficient to break the force of the temptation. This has been the way of God's people in grappling with this difficulty. Job, before he discourses of this matter, lays down the doctrine of God's omniscience (Job 24:1), Jeremiah the doctrine of his righteousness (Jer 12:1), another prophet that of his holiness (Hab 1:13), the psalmist that of his goodness and peculiar favour to his own people (Ps 73:1), and that is it which Solomon here fastens upon and resolves to abide by, that, though good and evil seem to be dispensed promiscuously, yet God has a particular care of and concern for his own people: The righteous and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God, under his special protection and guidance; all their affairs are managed by him for their good; all their wise and righteous actions are in his hand, to be recompensed in the other world, though not in this. They seem as if they were given up into the hand of their enemies, but it is not so. Men have no power against them but what is given them from above. The events that affect them do not come to pass by chance, but all according to the will and counsel of God, which will turn that to be for them which seemed to be most against them. Let this make us easy, whatever happens, that all God's saints are in his hand, De 33:3, Joh 10:29, Ps 31:15.
II. He lays this down for a rule, that the love and hatred of God are not to be measured and judged of by men's outward condition. If prosperity were a certain sign of God's love, and affliction of his hatred, then it might justly be an offence to us to see the wicked and godly fare alike. But the matter is not so: No man knows either love or hatred by all that is before him in this world, by those things that are the objects of sense. These we may know by that which is within us; if we love God with all our heart, thereby we may know that he loves us, as we may know likewise that we are under his wrath if we be governed by that carnal mind which is enmity to him. These will be known by that which shall be hereafter, by men's everlasting state; it is certain that men are happy or miserable according as they are under the love or hatred of God, but not according as they are under the smiles or frowns of the world; and therefore if God loves a righteous man (as certainly he does) he is happy, though the world frown upon him; and if he hates a wicked man (as certainly he does) he is miserable, though the world smile upon him. Then the offence of this promiscuous distribution of events has ceased.
III. Having laid down these principles, he acknowledges that all things come alike to all; so it has been formerly, and therefore we are not to think it strange if it be so now, if it be so with us and our families. Some make this, and all that follows to Ec 9:13, to be the perverse reasoning of the atheists against the doctrine of God's providence; but I rather take it to be Solomon's concession, which he might the more freely make when he had fixed those truths which are sufficient to guard against any ill use that may be made of what he grants. Observe here (Ec 9:2),
1. The great difference that there is between the characters of the righteous and the wicked, which, in several instances, are set the one over-against the other, to show that, though all things come alike to all, yet that does not in the least confound the eternal distinction between moral good and evil, but that remains immutable. (1.) The righteous are clean, have clean hands and pure hearts; the wicked are unclean, under the dominion of unclean lusts, pure perhaps in their own eyes, but not cleansed from their filthiness, God will certainly put a difference between the clean and the unclean, the precious and the vile, in the other world, though he does not seem to do so in this. (2.) The righteous sacrifice, that is, they make conscience of worshipping God according to his will, both with inward and outward worship; the wicked sacrifice not, that is, they live in the neglect of God's worship and grudge to part with any thing for his honour. What is the Almighty, that they should serve him? (3.) The righteous are good, good in God's sight, they do good in the world; the wicked are sinners, violating the laws of God and man, and provoking to both. (4.) The wicked man swears, has no veneration for the name of God, but profanes it by swearing rashly and falsely; but the righteous man fears an oath, swears not, but is sworn, and then with great reverence; he fears to take an oath, because it is a solemn appeal to God as a witness and judge; he fears, when he has taken a oath, to break it, because God is righteous who takes vengeance.
2. The little difference there is between the conditions of the righteous and the wicked in this world: There is one event to both. Is David rich? So is Nabal. Is Joseph favoured by his prince? So is Haman. Is Ahab killed in a battle? So is Josiah. Are the bad figs carried to Babylon? So are the good, Jer 24:1. There is a vast difference between the original, the design, and the nature, of the same event to the one and to the other; the effects and issues of it are likewise vastly different; the same providence to the one is a savour of life unto life, to the other of death unto death, though, to outward appearance, it is the same.
IV. He owns this to be a very great grievance to those that are wise and good: "This is an evil, the greatest perplexity, among all things that are done under the sun (Ec 9:3); nothing has given me more disturbance than this, that there is one event unto all." It hardens atheists, and strengthens the hands of evil-doers; for therefore it is that the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil and fully set in them to do evil, Ec 8:11. When they see that there is one event to the righteous and the wicked they wickedly infer thence that it is all one to God whether they are righteous or wicked, and therefore they stick at nothing to gratify their lusts.
V. For the further clearing of this great difficulty, as he began this discourse with the doctrine of the happiness of the righteous (whatever they may suffer, they and their works are in the hands of God, and therefore in good hands, they could not be in better), so he concludes with the doctrine of the misery of the wicked; however they may prosper, madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead. Envy not the prosperity of evil-doers, for, 1. They are now madmen, and all the delights they seem to be blessed with are but like the pleasant dreams and fancies of a distracted man. They are mad upon their idols (Jer 50:38), are mad against God's people, Ac 26:11. When the prodigal repented, it is said, He came to himself (Lu 15:17), which intimates that he had been beside himself before. 2. They will shortly be dead men. They make a mighty noise and bustle while they live, but after awhile, they go to the dead, and there is an end of all their pomp and power; they will then be reckoned with for all their madness and outrage in sin. Though, on this side death, the righteous and the wicked seem alike, on the other side death there will be a vast difference between them.
4-10
The Consequences of Death; The Proper Enjoyment of Life
死亡的後果；正確地享受人生
⁴ 與一切活人相連的，那人還有指望；因為活着的狗比死了的獅子更強。
⁵ 活着的人知道必死；死了的人毫無所知，也不再得賞賜，因為他們的記念已被人遺忘。
⁶ 他們的愛、他們的恨、他們的嫉妒，早都消滅了；在日光之下所行的一切事上，他們永不再有分了。
⁷ 你只管歡歡喜喜吃你的飯，心中快樂喝你的酒；因為神已經悅納你的作為。
⁸ 你的衣服當常常潔白；你頭上也不要缺少膏油。
⁹ 在你一生空虛的歲月中，就是神賜你在日光之下虛空的年日，當同你所愛的妻子快活度日；因為那是你在日光之下勞碌所得的分。
¹⁰ 凡你手所當做的事，要盡力去做；因為在你所必去的陰間，沒有工作，沒有謀算，沒有知識，也沒有智慧。
所羅門在煩躁中曾「讚歎死人勝過活人」（Ec 4:2）；但在此，考慮到生命在預備死亡、確保更美生命之盼望上的優勢，他似乎有了不同的想法。
I. 他指出活人勝過死人的優勢，Ec 9:4-6。1. 只要一息尚存，就「有指望」。「Dum spiro, spero——我一口氣在，就存盼望。」活人的特權是他們「與活人相連」——在關係、交往和交談上——只要如此，就「有指望」。一個人的境況無論因任何原因而壞，「有指望」它會改善。若「心裏充滿了惡，狂妄在其中」，只要還活著，「有指望」藉著神的恩典可以有蒙福的改變；但在人「歸死人那裏」（Ec 9:3）之後，就太遲了；那時污穢的仍永遠污穢。人若被當作無用而拋棄，只要還「與活人相連」，就「有指望」他們可以再次扎根結果；活著的人是、或可能是有些用處的，但死了的人，論到這世界，再不能有任何用處。因此「活着的狗比死了的獅子更強」——最卑微的活乞丐所擁有的今世安慰和所盡的服事，是最大的君王死後完全做不到的。2. 只要還活著，就有預備死亡的機會：「活着的人知道」死人不知道的事，特別是他們「知道必死」，並因此可以受影響去為那必來、且可能突然來到的大改變做預備。請注意，「活着的人」不能不「知道必死」，知道自己必死。他們知道自己已在死亡的判決之下；已被死亡的使者拘押，感到自己正在衰敗。這是必要且有用的知識；因為我們活著時的任務，除了預備死亡還是甚麼：「活着的人知道必死」——那是將來的事，因此可以為之預備。死人知道自己死了，但為時已晚；他們已在那固定的大深淵的另一邊。3. 生命逝去，這世界的一切也隨之逝去——對我們而言。（1）我們對這世界及其事物的認識到此為止：「死了的人毫無所知」——那些他們活著時所熟知的事。他們是否知道身後人所做的，這並不顯明。亞伯拉罕不認識我們；他們已被遷到「黑暗中」，伯10:22。（2）我們在這世上的一切享受到此為止：「也不再得賞賜」——為世俗勞碌所得的，都必留給別人；他們敬虔的作為有賞賜，但世俗的作為沒有。食物和肚腹將一同廢壞，約6:27，林前6:13。Ec 9:6加以解釋：「永不再有分」——他們以為會「永遠為分」的、那在「日光之下所做和所得」的，都不再有了。這世上的事物不能作靈魂的產業，因為它們不能永遠為業；那些選擇它們、以之為「美物」的人，只「在今世有分」，詩17:14。這世界不過是終身年金，不是「永遠的產業」。（3）他們的名到此為止。很少有人的名字能在他們身後長存；墳墓是遺忘之地，「因為他們的記念」很快「被遺忘」；他們的「地方不再認識他們」，他們以自己名字稱呼的地土也是如此。（4）他們的情感——他們的友誼和仇恨——到此為止：「他們的愛、他們的恨、他們的嫉妒，早都消滅了」；他們所愛的善事、所恨的惡事、所嫉妒的別人的興旺，如今都與他們一同結束了。死亡使相愛的人分離，終結他們的友誼；也使相恨的人分離，終結他們的爭鬥。「Actio moritur cum personâ——人與其行為一同死去。」在那裏，我們不會因朋友而更好（他們的愛不能為我們做甚麼），也不會因仇敵而更糟——他們的恨和嫉妒不能損害我們。「在那裏惡人止息攪擾。」那些如今如此影響我們、充滿我們、我們如此掛心、如此忌妒的事，在那裏都將終結。
II. 因此他推論，趁生命尚存，我們當善用生命、明智地管理餘下的光陰。
1. 讓我們在活著時享受人生的安舒，甘心領受其中的享受。所羅門自己曾因濫用感官之樂而被纏住，他警戒別人其中的危險——不是藉著全然禁止，而是藉著指示清醒而適度地使用；我們可以使用世界，卻不可濫用它，取其中可得的，不期望更多。此處我們看到：
(1.) 這喜樂所指示的具體實例：「你消沉憂鬱嗎？『去吧』，像你這樣的愚昧人，調整一下心境吧。」[1] 「讓你的心靈輕鬆愉快；讓裏面有『喜樂』和『快樂的心』」——「美善的心」（原文如此），這將之與屬肉體的歡笑和感官的樂趣區別開來——那些是心中的惡，既是其中許多惡的症狀，也是其原因。我們當享受自己、享受朋友、享受我們的神，並謹慎保持無虧的良心，使沒有甚麼能打擾我們在這些享受中的安寧。我們當以喜樂事奉神，使用祂所賜的，並慷慨地分給別人，不容自己被對世界無度的掛慮和憂愁所壓垮。我們當像以色列人那樣吃飯，「不在悲哀中」（申26:14），像基督徒那樣，「存著歡喜和慷慨的心」（徒2:46）。參見申28:47。[2] 「使用神所賜你的安慰和享受：『吃你的飯，喝你的酒』——你的，不是別人的，不是『欺哄得來的餅』，也不是『強暴得來的酒』，而是正當得來的，否則你不能安然享用，也不能期望祝福——『你的飯』和『你的酒』，與你的身分和地位相稱的，不過分奢華，也不過分寒酸；把你受託管理的為其目的而使用，因你不過是管家。」[3] 「彰顯你的喜樂（Ec 9:8）：『你的衣服當常常潔白。』在你的開支上保持比例；不要為滿足驕傲而削減伙食，也不要為滿足奢侈而削減衣著。要整潔，穿乾淨的衣裳，不要邋遢。」或者，「『你的衣服當常常潔白』，以表示喜樂和歡欣」，而那是用「白衣」來表達的（啟3:4）；「作為喜樂的進一步記號，『你頭上也不要缺少』適當的『膏油』。」我們的救主在宴席上也容許了這一樂趣（太26:7），大衛也將之列為神恩賜的禮物之一，詩23:5，「你用油膏了我的頭。」這不是說我們當將幸福寄託於任何感官之樂，或將心放在其上，而是神所賜的，我們當在節制和智慧的限度內、不忘記窮人的情況下，盡可能舒適地使用。[4] 「使你與親人和睦相處：『同你所愛的妻子快活度日。』不要獨佔你的樂趣，只顧自己享福而不關心身邊的人，而要讓他們與你同享，也使他們安舒。要娶妻；因為即使在伊甸園中，『那人獨居也不好』。守著你的妻子，守著一個，不要多娶」（所羅門已嘗過多娶的苦頭）；「只守著她，與別的無干。」一個人怎能與不誠實相待的妻子快樂度日呢？「愛你的妻子；你『所愛的妻子』，你才可能與她『快活度日』。」我們盡親屬的本分時，可以期望其中的安慰。參見箴5:19。「與你的妻子同住，以她的陪伴為樂。『與她快活度日』，與她在一起時最為喜樂。以你的家庭為樂——你的葡萄樹和你栽種的橄欖栽子。」
(2.) 這喜樂所必需的條件：「喜樂，有『快樂的心』，若『神已經悅納你的作為』。你若與神和好、蒙祂悅納，那麼你便有理由喜樂，否則便沒有。」「以色列啊，不要像外邦人歡喜快樂，因為你行邪淫離棄了你的神」，何9:1。我們首要關心的是與神和好、得蒙祂的恩寵、行祂所悅納的事，然後才「去吧，歡歡喜喜吃你的飯」。請注意，那些神已悅納其作為的人有理由喜樂，也理當如此。如今你帶著喜樂吃獻祭的餅，帶著快樂的心喝奠祭的酒，如今「神已經悅納你的作為」；你以聖潔的喜樂所行的宗教事奉，是神所喜悅的；祂樂意看見僕人在工作中歌唱，這表明祂是良善的主人。
(3.) 其理由。「快活度日吧，因為」[1] 「這對使你的今生之路輕鬆安舒已是足夠少的了：『你一生的年日』就是『你虛空的年日』；這裏除了煩惱和失望，別無所有。等到你無能為力時，你有的是時間憂愁悲哀；因此趁你能時就『快活度日』，不要為明天的掛慮所困擾；『一天的難處一天當就夠了。』讓恩典所賜的心境寧靜，成為抵擋世界虛空的有力解藥。」[2] 「這是你從這世界所能得到的全部：『那是你在』這『今生』的事物中之『分』。在神那裏、在來生，你將有更好的分，你在信仰上的勞苦也將有更好的報償；但你為『日光之下』的事物所受的辛勞，這便是你能期望的全部，因此不要拒絕自己。」
2. 讓我們趁生命尚存投入人生的事業，並如此使用其中的享受，使之裝備我們去從事當做的工作：「因此『歡歡喜喜吃飯』，有『快樂的心』，不是讓你的靈魂安逸（如路12:19），而是讓你的靈魂更多地勞苦，讓主的喜樂成為你的力量和輪子的油」，Ec 9:10。「凡你手所當做的事，要盡力去做。」請注意此處：（1）今生不僅有可得之物，也有當做之事，我們所當追尋的至善，就是「我們當行的善」，Ec 2:3。這是服事的世界；那將來的是報償的世界。這是為永恆受試驗和預備的世界；我們在此是辦事的，是在受考察的。（2）機會當指引和催促本分。當做的是「你手所當做的事」，是時機所要求的；一雙勤勞的手總能找到可以做的、能結好果實的事。必須做的事，我們的手在其中必能找到價值，箴17:16。（3）我們有機會行的善，當趁有機會時去行，並「盡力去做」——以關心、活力和決心去做，無論當中遇到甚麼困難和挫折。收割的日子是忙碌的日子；我們當趁太陽照耀時做草。事奉神和做成得救的工夫，必須以「全心全力」去做，而這還嫌不夠。（4）我們有充分理由「趁著白晝做那差我來者的工，因為黑夜將到，沒有人能做工」，約9:4。我們必須趁現在以一切可能的勤奮起而行動，因為我們做事的時間不久便要結束，而我們不知道有多快。但我們知道，若人生的工在我們的時間結束時尚未完成，我們便永遠沉淪：「在你所必去的『陰間』，沒有工作，沒有謀算，沒有知識，也沒有智慧。」我們都正向著墳墓前行；每一天都使我們離它更近一步；當我們「在陰間」時，再要改正今生的錯誤便太遲了，再要悔改與神和好也太遲了，再要為永生積蓄甚麼也太遲了；這必須現在就做，否則永不能做。陰間是黑暗和寂靜之地，因此在那裏不能為靈魂做任何事；這必須現在就做，否則永不能做，約12:35。
英文原文
The Consequences of Death; The Proper Enjoyment of Life
⁴ For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
⁵ For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
⁶ Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.
⁷ Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.
⁸ Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.
⁹ Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.
¹⁰ Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
Solomon, in a fret, had praised the dead more than the living (Ec 4:2); but here, considering the advantages of life to prepare for death and make sure the hope of a better life, he seems to be of another mind.
I. He shows the advantages which the living have above those that are dead, Ec 9:4-6. 1. While there is life there is hope. Dum spiro, spero—While I breathe, I hope. It is the privilege of the living that they are joined to the living, in relation, commerce, and conversation, and, while they are so, there is hope. If a man's condition be, upon any account, bad, there is hope it will be amended. If the heart be full of evil, and madness be in it, yet while there is life there is hope that by the grace of God there may be a blessed change wrought; but after men go to the dead (Ec 9:3) it is too late then; he that is then filthy will be filthy still, for ever filthy. If men be thrown aside as useless, yet, while they are joined to the living, there is hope that they may yet again take root and bear fruit; he that is alive is, or may be, good for something, but he that is dead, as to this world, is not capable of being any further serviceable. Therefore a living dog is better than a dead lion; the meanest beggar alive has that comfort of this world and does that service to it which the greatest prince, when he is dead, is utterly incapable of. 2. While there is life there is an opportunity of preparing for death: The living know that which the dead have no knowledge of, particularly they know that they shall die, and are, or may be, thereby influenced to prepare for that great change which will come certainly, and may come suddenly. Note, The living cannot but know that they shall die, that they must needs die. They know they are under a sentence of death; they are already taken into custody by its messengers, and feel themselves declining. This is a needful useful knowledge; for what is our business, while we live, but to get ready to die: The living know they shall die; it is a thing yet to come, and therefore provision may be made for it. The dead know they are dead, and it is too late; they are on the other side the great gulf fixed. 3. When life is gone all this world is gone with it, as to us. (1.) There is an end of all our acquaintance with this world and the things of it: The dead know not any thing of that which, while they lived, they were intimately conversant with. It does not appear that they know any thing of what is done by those they leave behind. Abraham is ignorant of us; they are removed into darkness, Job 10:22. (2.) There is an end of all our enjoyments in this world: They have no more a reward for their toils about the world, but all they got must be left to others; they have a reward for their holy actions, but not for their worldly ones. The meats and the belly will be destroyed together, Joh 6:27, 1Co 6:13. It is explained Ec 9:6. Neither have they any more a portion for ever, none of that which they imagined would be a portion for ever, of that which is done and got under the sun. The things of this world will not be a portion for the soul because they will not be a portion for ever; those that choose them, and have them for their good things, have only a portion in this life, Ps 17:14. The world can only be an annuity for life, not a portion for ever. (3.) There is an end of their name. There are but few whose names survive them long; the grave is a land of forgetfulness, for the memory of those that are laid there is soon forgotten; their place knows them no more, nor the lands they called by their own names. (4.) There is an end of their affections, their friendships and enmities: Their love, and their hatred, and their envy have now perished; the good things they loved, the evil things they hated, the prosperity of others, which they envied, are now all at an end with them. Death parts those that loved one another, and puts an end to their friendship, and those that hated one another too, and puts an end to their quarrels. Actio moritur cum personâ—The person and his actions die together. There we shall be never the better for our friends (their love can do us no kindness), nor ever the worse for our enemies—their hatred and envy can do us no damage. There the wicked cease from troubling. Those things which now so affect us and fill us, which we are so concerned about and so jealous of, will there be at an end.
II. Hence he infers that it is our wisdom to make the best use of life that we can while it does last, and manage wisely what remains of it.
1. Let us relish the comforts of life while we live, and cheerfully take our share of the enjoyments of it. Solomon, having been himself ensnared by the abuse of sensitive delights, warns others of the danger, not by a total prohibition of them, but by directing to the sober and moderate use of them; we may use the world, but must not abuse it, take what is to be had out of it, and expect no more. Here we have,
(1.) The particular instances of this cheerfulness prescribed: "Thou art drooping and melancholy, go thy way, like a fool as thou art, and get into a better temper of mind." [1.] "Let thy spirit be easy and pleasant; then let there be joy and a merry heart within," a good heart (so the word is), which distinguishes this from carnal mirth and sensual pleasure, which are the evil of the heart, both a symptom and a cause of much evil there. We must enjoy ourselves, enjoy our friends, enjoy our God, and be careful to keep a good conscience, that nothing may disturb us in these enjoyments. We must serve God with gladness, in the use of what he gives us, and be liberal in communicating it to others, and not suffer ourselves to be oppressed with inordinate care and grief about the world. We must eat our bread as Israelites, not in our mourning (De 26:14), as Christians, with gladness and liberality of heart, Ac 2:46. See De 28:47. [2.] "Make use of the comforts and enjoyments which God has given thee: Eat thy bread, drink thy wine, thine, not another's, not the bread of deceit, nor the wine of violence, but that which is honestly got, else thou canst not eat it with any comfort nor expect a blessing upon it—thy bread and thy wine, such as are agreeable to thy place and station, not extravagantly above it nor sordidly below it; lay out what God has given thee for the ends for which thou art entrusted with it, as being but a steward." [3.] "Evidence thy cheerfulness (Ec 9:8): Let thy garments be always white. Observe a proportion in thy expenses; reduce not thy food in order to gratify thy pride, nor thy clothing in order to gratify thy voluptuousness. Be neat, wear clean linen, and be not slovenly." Or, "Let thy garments be white in token of joy and cheerfulness," which were expressed by white raiment (Re 3:4); "and as a further token of joy, let thy head lack no ointment that is fit for it." Our Saviour admitted this piece of pleasure at a feast (Mt 26:7), and David observes it among the gifts of God's bounty to him. Ps 23:5, Thou anointest my head with oil. Not that we must place our happiness in any of the delights of sense, or set our hearts upon them, but what God has given us we must make as comfortable a use of as we can afford, under the limitations of sobriety and wisdom, and not forgetting the poor. [4.] "Make thyself agreeable to thy relations: Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest. Do not engross thy delights, making much of thyself only, and not caring what becomes of those about thee, but let them share with thee and make them easy too. Have a wife; for even in paradise it was not good for man to be alone. Keep to thy wife, to one, and do not multiply wives" (Solomon had found the mischief of that); "keep to her only, and have nothing to do with any other." How can a man live joyfully with one with whom he does not live honestly? "Love thy wife; and the wife whom thou lovest thou wilt be likely to live joyfully with." When we do the duty of relations we may expect the comfort of them. See Pr 5:19. "Live with thy wife, and delight in her society. Live joyfully with her, and be most cheerful when thou art with her. Take pleasure in thy family, thy vine and thy olive plants."
(2.) The qualifications necessary to this cheerfulness: "Rejoice and have a merry heart, if God now accepts thy works. If thou art reconciled to God, and recommended to him, then thou has reason to be cheerful, otherwise not." Rejoice not, O Israel! for joy, as other people, for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, Ho 9:1. Our first care must be to make our peace with God, and obtain his favour, to do that which he will accept of, and then, Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy. Note, Those whose works God has accepted have reason to be cheerful and ought to be so. 'Now that thou eatest the bread of thy sacrifices with joy, and partakest of the wine of thy drink-offerings with a merry heart, now God accepts thy works. Thy religious services, when performed with holy joy, are pleasing to God; he loves to have his servants sing at their work, it proclaims him a good Master.
(3.) The reasons for it. "Live joyfully, for," [1.] "It is all little enough to make thy passage through this world easy and comfortable: The days of thy life are the days of thy vanity; there is nothing here but trouble, and disappointment. Thou wilt have time enough for sorrow and grief when thou canst not help it, and therefore live joyfully while thou canst, and perplex not thyself with thoughts and cares about to-morrow; sufficient to the day is the evil thereof. Let a gracious serenity of mind be a powerful antidote against the vanity of the world." [2.] "It is all thou canst get from this world: That is thy portion in the things of this life. In God, and another life, thou shalt have a better portion, and a better recompence for thy labours in religion; but for thy pains which thou takest about the things under the sun this is all thou canst expect, and therefore do not deny this to thyself."
2. Let us apply ourselves to the business of life while life lasts, and so use the enjoyments of it as by them to be fitted for the employments: "Therefore eat with joy and a merry heart, not that thy soul may take its ease (as Lu 12:19), but that thy soul may take the more pains and the joy of the Lord may be its strength and oil to its wheels," Ec 9:10. Whatsoever thy hand finds to do do it with thy might. Observe here, (1.) There is not only something to be had, but something to be done, in this life, and the chief good we are to enquire after is the good we should do, Ec 2:3. This is the world of service; that to come is the world of recompence. This is the world of probation and preparation for eternity; we are here upon business, and upon our good behaviour. (2.) Opportunity is to direct and quicken duty. That is to be done which our hand finds to do, which occasion calls for; and an active hand will always find something to do that will turn to a good account. What must be done, of necessity, our hand will here find a price in it for the doing of, Pr 17:16. (3.) What good we have an opportunity of doing we must do while we have the opportunity, and do it with our might, with care, vigour, and resolution, whatever difficulties and discouragements we may meet with in it. Harvest-days are busy days; and we must make hay while the sun shines. Serving God and working out our salvation must be done with all that is within us, and all little enough. (4.) There is good reason why we should work the works of him that sent us while it is day, because the night comes, wherein no man can work, Joh 9:4. We must up and be doing now with all possible diligence, because our doing-time will be done shortly and we know not how soon. But this we know that, if the work of life be not done when our time is done, we are undone for ever: "There is no work to be done, nor device to do it, no knowledge for speculation, nor wisdom for practice, in the grave whither thou goest." We are all going towards the grave; every day brings us a step nearer to it; when we are in the grave it will be too late to mend the errors of life, too late to repent and make our peace with God, too late to lay up any thing in store for eternal life; it must be done now or never. The grave is a land of darkness and silence, and therefore there is no doing any thing for our souls there; it must be done now or never, Joh 12:35.
11-12
The Disappointment of Hopes
盼望的落空
¹¹ 我又轉念：見日光之下，快跑的未必能贏；力戰的未必得勝；智慧的未必得糧食；明哲的未必得資財；靈巧的未必得喜悅。所臨到眾人的是在乎當時的機會。
¹² 原來人也不知道自己的定期。魚被惡網圈住，鳥被網羅捉住，禍患忽然臨到的時候，世人陷在其中也是如此。
傳道者在此為進一步證明這世界的虛空，並使我們確信「我們所做的事都在神的手中」，而不在我們自己手中，指出未來事件的不確定性和偶然性，以及它們如何常常與我們的預期相違背。他曾勸我們（Ec 9:10）「盡力」做我們當做的；但他在此提醒我們，我們做了一切之後，必須將結果交託給神，不可對成功過分自信。
I. 我們常常失去我們大為盼望的好處，Ec 9:11。所羅門自己曾作過這觀察，自他以來許多人也是如此：無論公共還是私人的事務，其結果並不總是與最合理的預期和概率相符。「命運不會如此臣服於任何人，以至於保證他無論嘗試多少都能處處成功。」（塞內卡）。事情的結果常常無法解釋地與每個人的期望相反，使最高的不可自恃，使最低的不可絕望，而使一切人都謙卑地倚靠神——因為每個人的判斷都從祂而出。
1. 他舉出即使手段和工具最有利、最有希望時也落空的實例。（1）人以為腳步最輕的在賽跑中必贏得獎賞；然而「快跑的未必能贏」；有時某種意外使他們遲滯，或他們過於自信、因而懈怠，讓較慢的超前。（2）人以為在爭戰中，人數最多、力量最強的軍隊必常勝，在單打獨鬥中，勇敢的大力士必贏得桂冠；但「力戰的未必得勝」；非利士人的全軍曾被約拿單和他的隨從所擊潰；「你們一人追趕千人」；事業的正義常常勝過最可怕的勢力。（3）人以為有見識的人必常有財富，知道如何在世上生活的人不但有豐足的供養，更能建立龐大的家業；然而事實並非總是如此；連「智慧的未必得糧食」，更不用說「明哲的」常「得資財」了。許多機敏的人、有才幹的人，本該在世上發達的，卻離奇地每況愈下、一無所有。（4）人以為那些善於知人、有手腕的人必常獲提拔、得蒙大人物的青睞；但許多有才華的人落了空，在默默無聞中度日，不，甚至落入不利的境地，或許正因那些他們藉以盼望高升的方法而毀了自己，因為「靈巧的未必得喜悅」，愚昧人反受恩寵，智慧人反遭冷眼。
2. 他將這一切落空歸因於一個主宰一切的權能和護理——其安排在我們看來是偶然的，我們稱之為「機會」，實則是照着神的定旨和預知，此處以本書的用語稱為「時候」（Ec 3:1、詩31:15）。「所臨到眾人的是在乎當時的機會。」至高的護理打破人的籌算，粉碎人的盼望，教導人「人的道路不在自己心中」，而是受制於神的旨意。我們當使用手段，卻不可信靠手段；我們若成功，當將榮耀歸給神（詩44:3）；我們若受挫，當順服祂的旨意，接受我們的遭遇。
II. 我們常常被我們本不大害怕的災禍所驚嚇（Ec 9:12）：「人也不知道自己的定期」——他遭難、跌倒、死亡的時候，聖經中稱之為「我們的日子」和「我們的時辰」。1. 我們不知道前面有甚麼患難，那些患難要使我們離開事業、使我們離開世界，不知「時候和機會」要怎樣臨到我們，也不知「一日」或一夜能發生甚麼。「將來的時候」不是我們可以知道的——不，連我們自己的時候也不能，我們將何時、如何死去。神在智慧中使我們留在黑暗中，好使我們常常預備好。2. 或許我們正是在那應許自己最大滿足和利益的事上遇見患難；如同魚和鳥被放置的餌所引誘、貪婪地撲上去，便被網羅和網捉住；世人也常如此，「禍患忽然臨到」時，他們「陷在其中」，猝不及防。這些事也「臨到眾人都是一樣」。人常在尋求祝福之處找到禍患，在以為可得珍寶之處找到死亡。因此讓我們永不鬆懈，常常預備好面對變化，使它們雖然可能突然來臨，卻不致成為我們的驚嚇或恐懼。
英文原文
The Disappointment of Hopes
¹¹ I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
¹² For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.
The preacher here, for a further proof of the vanity of the world, and to convince us that all our works are in the hand of God, and not in our own hand, shows the uncertainty and contingency of future events, and how often they contradict the prospects we have of them. He had exhorted us (Ec 9:10) to do what we have to do with all our might; but here he reminds us that, when we have done all, we must leave the issue with God, and not be confident of the success.
I. We are often disappointed of the good we had great hopes of, Ec 9:11. Solomon had himself made the observation, and so has many a one since, that events, both in public and private affairs, do not always agree even with the most rational prospects and probabilities. Nulli fortuna tam dedita est ut multa tentanti ubique respondeat—Fortune surrenders herself to no one so as to ensure him success, however numerous his undertakings. Seneca. The issue of affairs is often unaccountably cross to every one's expectation, that the highest may not presume, nor the lowest despair, but all may live in a humble dependence upon God, from whom every man's judgment proceeds.
1. He gives instances of disappointment, even where means and instruments were most encouraging and promised fair. (1.) One would think that the lightest of foot should, in running, win the prize; and yet the race is not always to the swift; some accident happens to retard them, or they are too secure, and therefore remiss, and let those that are slower get the start of them. (2.) One would think that, in fighting, the most numerous and powerful army should be always victorious, and, in single combat, that the bold and mighty champion should win the laurel; but the battle is not always to the strong; a host of Philistines was once put to flight by Jonathan and his man; one of you shall chase a thousand; the goodness of the cause has often carried the day against the most formidable power. (3.) One would think that men of sense should always be men of substance, and that those who know how to live in the world should not only have a plentiful maintenance, but get great estates; and yet it does not always prove so; even bread is not always to the wise, much less riches always to men of understanding. Many ingenious men, and men of business, who were likely to thrive in the world, have strangely gone backward and come to nothing. (4.) One would think that those who understand men, and have the art of management, should always get preferment and obtain the smiles of great men; but many ingenious men have been disappointed, and have spent their days in obscurity, nay, have fallen into disgrace, and perhaps have ruined themselves by those very methods by which they hoped to raise themselves, for favour is not always to men of skill, but fools are favoured and wise men frowned upon.
2. He resolves all these disappointments into an over-ruling power and providence, the disposals of which to us seem casual, and we call them chance, but really they are according to the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, here called time, in the language of this book, Ec 3:1, Ps 31:15. Time and chance happen to them all. A sovereign Providence breaks men's measures, and blasts their hopes, and teaches them that the way of man is not in himself, but subject to the divine will. We must use means, but not trust to them; if we succeed, we must give God the praise (Ps 44:3); if we be crossed, we must acquiesce in his will and take our lot.
II. We are often surprised with the evils we were in little fear of (Ec 9:12): Man knows not his time, the time of his calamity, his fall, his death, which, in scripture, is called our day and our hour. 1. We know not what troubles are before us, which will take us off our business, and take us out of the world, what time and chance will happen to us, nor what one day, or a night, may bring forth. It is not for us to know the times, no, not our own time, when or how we shall die. God has, in wisdom, kept us in the dark, that we may be always ready. 2. Perhaps we may meet with trouble in that very thing wherein we promise ourselves the greatest satisfaction and advantage; as the fishes and the birds are drawn into the snare and net by the bait laid to allure them, which they greedily catch at, so are the sons of men often snared in an evil time, when it falls suddenly upon them, before they are aware. And these things too come alike to all. Men often find their bane where they sought their bless, and catch their death where they thought to find a prize. Let us therefore never be secure, but always ready for changes, that, though they may be sudden, they may be no surprise or terror to us.
13-18
The Advantages of Wisdom
智慧的益處
¹³ 我見日光之下有一樣智慧，據我看是大有關係的。
¹⁴ 就是有一小城，其中的人數稀少，有大君王來攻擊它，修築營壘，將城圍困。
¹⁵ 城中有一個貧窮的智慧人，他用智慧救了那城；卻沒有人記念那窮人。
¹⁶ 我就說：智慧勝過勇力。然而那貧窮人的智慧被人藐視，他的話也無人聽從。
¹⁷ 寧可在安靜之中聽智慧人的言語，不聽掌管愚昧人的喊聲。
¹⁸ 智慧勝過打仗的兵器；但一個罪人能敗壞許多善事。
所羅門仍向我們推薦智慧，認為它對保守我們的平安、成就我們的事業是必要的，儘管人事受制於種種虛空和波折。他曾說（Ec 9:11）「智慧的未必得糧食」；但他不要因此被認為是貶低或使人灰心於智慧——不，他仍堅持他的原則：「智慧勝過愚昧，如同光明勝過黑暗」（Ec 2:13）；我們當因其本身的內在價值和它使我們服事他人的能力而愛慕它、接受它、受它引導，即使我們自己不能因此得財富和提拔。這智慧——即他所描述的，使人純粹因愛國而能服事國家、自己卻不從中得利的智慧，不，連感謝或聲譽都得不着的智慧——這就是所羅門說「據我看是大有關係的」智慧（Ec 9:13）。在私人領域中的公眾精神，是那些能分辨事物的人不能不視為極其偉大的智慧。
I. 所羅門在此舉出一個實例——可能是一個真實事件，發生在某個鄰國——一個「窮人」以他的智慧在公共危難之時作了極大的服事（Ec 9:14）：「有一小城」（誰是主人都不算大獎）；城中「人數稀少」——用以防守的人，而人若有勇氣，是城最好的防禦；這裏「人數稀少」，因此軟弱、膽怯、準備放棄城池為不可守。一個「大君王」率領大軍來攻擊這小城，圍困它，或出於驕傲，或出於貪婪想要佔有它，或出於報復所受的冒犯要懲罰毁滅它。他估計它比實際更堅固，便「修築營壘」以轟擊它，毫不懷疑不久便能佔領它。野心勃勃的君王給無害的鄰舍造成多少無理的煩擾！這「大君王」不必懼怕這「小城」；那麼為何要恐嚇它？它對他無大益處；那麼為何要花這麼大的代價去奪取？但如同小人物有時如此不合理、貪得無厭地「以房接房、以地連地」，大君王也常常如此「以城連城、以省連省」，「以致獨居地面」（賽5:8）。得勝和成功是隨從「強者」的嗎？不；在這小城中，在其中的少數人中間，「有一個貧窮的智慧人」——一個有智慧的人，卻貧窮，在城中沒有被提拔到任何有利或權勢的職位；信任的職位不是按人的功績和資格授予的，否則這樣的智慧人不會是窮人。如今：1. 他有智慧，所以雖然貧窮，卻服事了那城。在他們的急難中他們找到了他（士11:7），懇求他的指教和幫助；他「用智慧救了那城」——或藉着給被圍困者的謹慎指教，指示他們某種未曾想到的計策以求自保，或藉着與圍困者的謹慎談判，如同亞比拉的婦人（撒下20:16）。他沒有責備他們先前對他的輕視——把他排除在他們的議會之外，也沒有說自己窮、一無所有、不在乎城的存亡；他為城盡力，而且蒙福成功。請注意，當公共福祉攸關時，私人的利益和個人的怨恨必須總是為公共利益而犧牲、加以遺忘。2. 他貧窮，所以雖然有智慧、雖然是拯救他們免於毁滅的工具，卻被那城輕忽：「沒有人記念那窮人」；他的善行沒有被注意，沒有得到報償，沒有被授予尊榮的標記，卻仍如先前一樣生活在貧窮和默默無聞之中。「這有智慧的人」沒有「資財」，這「有技巧的人」沒有「喜悅」。許多對君王和國家有功的人所得的報酬卻很差；我們所住的世界就是如此忘恩負義。有用的人有一位可信靠的神，祂將作他們豐厚的報償者，這倒是好的；因為在人中间，大服事往往被嫉妒，以惡報善。
II. 從這實例他得出一些有用的推論，觀察它並領受教訓。1. 他由此觀察到智慧的極大用處和卓越，以及它使人成為國家的祝福：「智慧勝過勇力」（Ec 9:16）。謹慎的心志——人的尊榮——勝過強壯的身體——許多牲畜在這方面勝過人。人可以藉智慧成就他靠力量永不能達成的事，也可以藉智謀勝過那些能以武力壓倒他的人。不，「智慧勝過打仗的兵器」——無論進攻的還是防禦的（Ec 9:18）。「智慧」——即宗教和敬虔（因為此處智慧人與罪人相對）——勝過一切軍事的裝備和配備，因為它能使神為我們爭戰，那時我們在最危險中安全、在最艱難的事業中成功。「神若幫助我們，誰能敵擋我們」，或誰能在我們面前站立呢？2. 他由此觀察到智慧雖然處於外在的不利條件下，卻有指揮的力量和權能（Ec 9:17）：「寧可在安靜之中聽智慧人的言語」——他們所說的，雖然是平靜慎重地說的（因為不富有、不掌權，不敢大聲說，也不敢過分自信），卻會被聆聽和尊重，會贏得尊敬，不，會達到目的，左右人——勝過那「掌管愚昧人的喊聲」，那些人如愚昧人一般選他作統治者（因他的喧嚷和虛張聲勢），又如愚昧人一般以為他必能以那些方法壓倒其他一切人。幾個有力的論證勝過許多大話；那些對公平推理讓步的人，也會回應那些以傲慢和侮辱「按其愚妄話回答」的人。「正直的言語何等有力！」智慧地說出的話當平靜地說出，那時它便會在安靜中被聆聽、平靜地被考量。但激情會削弱甚至理性的力量，而非為之增加力量。3. 他由此觀察到，智者和善人儘管如此，常常只能滿足於行了善——或至少嘗試了、獻上了——的滿足，當他們不能做到想做的善、得不到應得的稱讚時。智慧使人有能力服事鄰舍，他獻上自己的服事；但唉！他若是窮人，他的智慧便被藐視，「他的話無人聽從」（Ec 9:16）。許多人被活埋在貧窮和默默無聞之中，若給他們適當的鼓勵，可能對世界是極大的祝福；許多珍珠失落在它的殼中。但有一天將到，智慧和善良要得尊榮，「義人要發出光來」。
4. 從他所觀察到的一個有智慧和美德的人所能行的極大善事中，他推論出一個惡人所能行的極大惡事、所能阻礙的極大善事：「一個罪人能敗壞許多善事。」（1）論到自己，犯罪的狀態是浪費的狀態。一個罪人毁壞和浪費了多少本性和護理的美好恩賜——好的常識、好的才幹、好的學問、好的性情、好的產業、好的飲食，以及神許多美好的受造之物——全被用來服事罪，因而被毁壞、喪失，賜下的目的被挫折、被歪曲！毁壞自己靈魂的人毁壞了許多美善。（2）論到別人，一個惡人在一個城鎮或國家中能造成多少禍害！一個以敗壞別人為業的罪人，能挫敗許多好的法律和許多好的講道的用意，並引誘許多人走入他那有害的道路；一個罪人能成為一個城鎮的毁滅，如同一個亞干使以色列全營遭難。那救了城的智慧人本該因此得到應有的尊重和報償，卻因某一個罪人從中阻礙、嫉妒地貶低那服事而不得。許多為公共福祉精心設計的好方案，都被某一個狡猾的反對者所毁。某些人的智慧本可以醫治那國，但因少數人的邪惡，它便不得醫治。請看誰是國家的朋友和仇敵——若一個聖徒行許多善事，一個罪人便敗壞許多善事。
英文原文
The Advantages of Wisdom
¹³ This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:
¹⁴ There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it:
¹⁵ Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.
¹⁶ Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
¹⁷ The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.
¹⁸ Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.
Solomon still recommends wisdom to us as necessary to the preserving of our peace and the perfecting of our business, notwithstanding the vanities and crosses which human affairs are subject to. He had said (Ec 9:11), Bread is not always to the wise; yet he would not therefore be thought either to disparage, or to discourage, wisdom, no, he still retains his principle, that wisdom excels folly as much as light excels darkness (Ec 2:13), and we ought to love and embrace it, and be governed by it, for the sake of its own intrinsic worth, and the capacity it gives us of being serviceable to others, though we ourselves should not get wealth and preferment by it. This wisdom, that is, this which he here describes, wisdom which enables a man to serve his country out of pure affection to its interests, when he himself gains no advantage by it, no, not so much as thanks for his pains, or the reputation of it, this is the wisdom which, Solomon says, seemed great unto him, Ec 9:13. A public spirit, in a private sphere, is wisdom which those who understand things that differ cannot but look upon as very magnificent.
I. Solomon here gives an instance, which probably was a case in fact, in some neighbouring country, of a poor man who with his wisdom did great service in a time of public distress and danger (Ec 9:14): There was a little city (no great prize, whoever was master of it); there were but few men within it, to defend it, and men, if men of fortitude, are the best fortifications of a city; here were few men, and, because few, feeble, fearful, and ready to give up their city as not tenable. Against this little city a great king came with a numerous army, and besieged it, either in pride, or covetousness to possess it, or in revenge for some affront given him, to chastise and destroy it. Thinking it stronger than it was, he built great bulwarks against it, from which to batter it, and doubted not but in a little time to make himself master of it. What a great deal of unjust vexation do ambitious princes give to their harmless neighbours! This great king needed not fear this little city; why then should he frighten it? It would be little profit to him; why then should he put himself to such a great expense to gain it? But as unreasonable and insatiably greedy as little people sometimes are to lay house to house, and field to field, great kings often are to lay city to city, and province to province, that they may be placed alone in the earth, Isa 5:8. Did victory and success attend the strong? No; there was found in this little city, among the few men that were in it, one poor wise man—a wise man, and yet poor, and not preferred to any place of profit or power in the city; places of trust were not given to men according to their merit, and meetness for them, else such a wise man as this would not have been a poor man. Now, 1. Being wise, he served the city, though he was poor. In their distress they found him out (Jdg 11:7) and begged his advice and assistance; and he by his wisdom delivered the city, either by prudent instructions given to the besieged, directing them to some unthought-of stratagem for their own security, or by a prudent treaty with the besiegers, as the woman at Abel, 2Sa 20:16. He did not upbraid them with the contempt they had put upon him, in leaving him out of their council, nor tell them he was poor and had nothing to lose, and therefore cared not what became of the city; but he did his best for it, and was blessed with success. Note, Private interests and personal resentments must always be sacrificed to public good and forgotten when the common welfare is concerned. 2. Being poor, he was slighted by the city, though he was wise and had been an instrument to save them all from ruin: No man remembered that same poor man; his good services were not taken notice of, no recompence was made him, no marks of honour were put upon him, but he lived in as much poverty and obscurity as he had done before. Riches were not to this man of understanding, nor favour to this man of skill. Many who have well-merited of their prince and country have been ill-paid; such an ungrateful world do we live in. It is well that useful men have a God to trust to, who will be their bountiful rewarder; for, among men, great services are often envied and rewarded with evil for good.
II. From this instance he draws some useful inferences, looks upon it and receives instruction. 1. Hence he observes the great usefulness and excellency of wisdom, and what a blessing it makes men to their country: Wisdom is better than strength, Ec 9:16. A prudent mind, which is the honour of a man, is to be preferred before a robust body, in which many of the brute creatures excel man. A man may by his wisdom effect that which he could never compass by his strength, and may overcome those by out-witting them who are able to overpower him. Nay, wisdom is better than weapons of war, offensive or defensive, Ec 9:18. Wisdom, that is, religion and piety (for the wise man is here opposed to a sinner), is better than all military endowments or accoutrements, for it will engage God for us, and then we are safe in the greatest perils and successful in the greatest enterprises. If God be for us, who can be against us or stand before us? 2. Hence he observes the commanding force and power of wisdom, though it labour under external disadvantages (Ec 9:17): The words of wise men are heard in quiet; what they speak, being spoken calmly and with deliberation (though, not being rich and in authority, they dare not speak aloud nor with any great assurance), will be hearkened to and regarded, will gain respect, nay, will gain the point, and sway with men more than the imperious clamour of him that rules among fools, who, like fools, chose him to be their ruler, for his noise and blustering, and, like fools, think he must by those methods carry the day with every body else. A few close arguments are worth a great many big words; and those will strike sail to fair reasoning who will answer those that hector and insult according to their folly. How forcible are right words! What is spoken wisely should be spoken calmly, and then it will be heard in quiet and calmly considered. But passion will lessen the force even of reason, instead of adding any force to it. 3. Hence he observes that wise and good men, notwithstanding this, must often content themselves with the satisfaction of having done good, or at least attempted it, and offered at it, when they cannot do the good they would do nor have the praise they should have. Wisdom capacitates a man to serve his neighbours, and he offers his service; but, alas! if he be poor his wisdom is despised and his words are not heard, Ec 9:16. Many a man is buried alive in poverty and obscurity who, if he had but fit encouragement given him, might be a great blessing to the world; many a pearl is lost in its shell. But there is a day coming when wisdom and goodness shall be in honour, and the righteous shall shine forth.
4. From what he had observed of the great good which one wise and virtuous man may do he infers what a great deal of mischief one wicked man may do, and what a great deal of good he may be the hindrance of: One sinner destroyeth much good. (1.) As to himself, a sinful condition is a wasteful condition. How many of the good gifts both of nature and Providence does one sinner destroy and make waste of—good sense, good parts, good learning, a good disposition, a good estate, good meat, good drink, and abundance of God's good creatures, all made use of in the service of sin, and so destroyed and lost, and the end of giving them frustrated and perverted! He who destroys his own soul destroys much good. (2.) As to others, what a great deal of mischief may one wicked man do in a town or country! One sinner, who makes it his business to debauch others, may defeat and frustrate the intentions of a great many good laws and a great deal of good preaching, and draw many into his pernicious ways; one sinner may be the ruin of a town, as one Achan troubled the whole camp of Israel. The wise man who delivered the city would have had his due respect and recompence for it but that some one sinner hindered it, and invidiously diminished the service. And many a good project, well laid for the public welfare, had been destroyed by some one subtle adversary to it. The wisdom of some would have healed the nation, but, through the wickedness of a few, it would not be healed. See who are a kingdom's friends and enemies, if one saint does much good, and one sinner destroys much good.
所羅門在本章為進一步證明這世界的虛空，向我們提出他在觀察世人在其中光景後所得的四項見解：I. 他觀察到，論及外在事物，善人與惡人的遭遇往往大致相同，Ec 9:1-3。II. 死亡對我們在世上的一切工作與享受作了最終的了結（Ec 9:4-6），由此他推論，我們的智慧在於趁生命尚存之時享受人生的安舒、並專心事業，Ec 9:7-10。III. 神的護理往往推翻人努力中最美好、最有希望的預期，而極大的災禍常在人不知不覺間忽然臨到，Ec 9:11,12。IV. 智慧往往使人大有用處，卻為人贏得極少的尊重，因為功勳卓著之人反遭輕看，Ec 9:13-18。那麼，這世上究竟有甚麼值得我們戀戀不捨呢？