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THE Book of Ecclesiastes has exercised the Church of God in no common degree.
《传道书》在非同寻常的程度上操练了神的教会。
Many learned men have not hesitated to number it among the most difficult Books in the Sacred Canon.
许多博学的人毫不犹豫地将其列为圣经正典中最难的书卷之一。
Luther doubts whether any Exposition up to his time has fully mastered it.
路德怀疑直到他那个时代是否有任何解经完全掌握了它。
The Patristic Commentaries, from Jerome downwards, abound in the wildest fancies;
教父们的注释，从耶柔米往下，充满了最狂野的幻想；
so that, as one of the old interpreters observes, ‘the trifles of their allegories it loatheth and wearieth me to set down.’
以至于，正如一位古代解经家所观察到的，“他们寓意解经的琐碎，令我厌恶，以此记录下来也令我疲惫。”
Expositors of a different and later school have too often “darkened counsel by words without knowledge” (Job, 38:2);
不同和较晚学派的解经家太常“以无知的言语使旨意暗晦”（约伯记 38:2）；
perplexing the reader’s mind with doubtful theories, widely diverging from each other.
用彼此大相径庭的可疑理论困扰读者的心思。
The more difficult the book, the greater the need of Divine Teaching to open its contents.
书卷越难，就越需要神圣的教导来开启其内容。
However valuable be the stores of human learning, they will not throw one ray of true light upon the word, without the heavenly influence of the Great Teacher.
无论人类学识的储备多么有价值，若没有那位伟大教师（指圣灵）属天的影响，它们就无法在神的话语上投下一缕真光。
Separate from Him, “the light that is in us is darkness.” (Matt. 6:23.)
离了祂，“我们里面的光就是黑暗。”（马太福音 6:23。）
The Author confesses that he has felt his measure of difficulty as to some of the statements of this Book.
作者承认，对于本书的一些陈述，他感到了相当程度的困难。
But the result of his inquiry into its Divine credentials has been solidly satisfactory.
但他对其神圣凭据的探究结果却是确实令人满意的。
The conclusion therefore was natural, that a Book that ‘had God for its Author,’ must have ‘truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter.’
因此结论是自然的，即一本‘以神为作者’的书，必然‘拥有真理作为其内容，且不掺杂任何错误。’
Some of its maxims have indeed been too hastily supposed to countenance Epicurean indulgence.
它的一些格言确实被过于草率地认为是在支持伊壁鸠鲁式的放纵。
Nay—even Voltaire and his Monarch disciple have dared to claim detached passages as favouring their sceptical philosophy.
不——甚至伏尔泰和他的君王门徒（指普鲁士腓特烈大帝）竟敢宣称一些脱离上下文的段落是支持他们怀疑论哲学的。
But ‘all of them’—as Mr. Scott observes—’admit of a sound and useful interpretation, when accurately investigated, and when the general scope of the book is attended to.’
但正如斯科特（Scott）先生所观察到的——‘当被准确查考，并顾及全书的总体范围时，它们全都容许一种纯正且有益的解释。’
If any difficulties still remain, as Lord Bacon remarks—’If they teach us nothing else, they will at least teach us our own blindness.’
如果仍有任何困难存留，正如培根勋爵（Lord Bacon）所言——‘如果它们不教导我们别的，至少也会教导我们认识自己的瞎眼。’
Thus Pascal profoundly remarks on the Scriptures—’There is enough brightness to illuminate the elect, and enough obscurity to humble them.
因此帕斯卡（Pascal）对圣经深刻地评论道——‘有足够的光明照亮选民，也有足够的晦涩使他们谦卑。
“All things work together for good” to the elect; even the obscurities of Scripture, which these honour and reverence on account of that Divine clearness and beauty, which they understand.’
“万事都互相效力，叫选民得益处”；甚至包括圣经的晦涩之处，因着他们所理解的那神圣的清晰与荣美，他们便尊重并敬畏这些（晦涩之处）。’
There is, however, a wide difference between what appears upon the surface, and what a thoughtful mind in a prayerful spirit will open from the inner Scripture.
然而，表面所呈现的，与一个在祷告之灵里深思的心思从圣经深处所开启的，二者之间有巨大的差别。
It is most important to study the Bible in the spirit of the Bible—to exercise a critical habit in a spiritual atmosphere.
最重要的是本着圣经的灵来研读圣经——在属灵的氛围中运用明辨的习惯。
Prayer, faith, humility, diligence, will bring rest and satisfaction to minds exercised in the school of God.
祷告、信心、谦卑、勤勉，将给在神学校里受操练的心思带来安息和满足。
As an able preacher remarks—’We expect to find some difficulties in a revelation from a Being like God to such a creature as man.
正如一位能干的传道人所言——‘在来自于像神这样的一位存在者给像人这样的受造物的启示中，我们预料会发现一些困难。
We even rejoice in these difficulties.
我们甚至因这些困难而欢喜。
They are the occasion of our growth in grace.
它们是我们恩典长进的契机。
They exercise our humility.
它们操练我们的谦卑。
They are like the leaves and flowers, of which the crown of faith is woven.
它们就像叶子和花朵，信心的冠冕就是用它们编织而成的。
They remind us of our own weakness and ignorance, and of Christ’s power and wisdom.
它们提醒我们自己的软弱和无知，以及基督的大能和智慧。
They send us to Him and to the Gospel.’
它们打发我们到祂那里和福音那里去。’
Our last testimony on this anxious point we draw from the highest school of instruction—the death-bed.
我们关于这一令人焦急之点的最后一个见证，取自最高等的教学学校——临终床榻。
‘We must acknowledge’—said the late Adolph Monod—’that in the beginning of the study of Scripture, there are many difficulties, and much obscurity.
‘我们必须承认’——已故的阿道夫·莫诺（Adolph Monod）说——‘在研读圣经的开始，有许多困难，和许多晦涩。
Some labour is necessary to dissipate them; and the mind of man is naturally slow and idle;
需要花费一些劳力来驱散它们；而人的心思天生迟钝且懒惰；
and he easily loses courage, and is satisfied with reading over and over again, without penetrating further than the surface;
并且他很容易失去勇气，满足于一遍又一遍地阅读，而不深入到表面之下；
and he learns nothing new; and the constant perusal of the same thing causeth weariness, as if the word of God was not interesting;
他学不到新东西；不断地细读同样的东西会导致厌倦，好像神的话语没有趣味一样；
as if we could not find some new instruction in it; as if it were not inexhaustible as God Himself.
好像我们不能在其中发现新的教导一样；好像它不是像神自己那样取之不尽一样。
Let us ever’—he adds—’beware of thinking these difficulties insurmountable.
让我们永远’——他补充道——‘提防认为这些困难是不可克服的。
We must give ourselves trouble.
我们必须让自己费点功夫。
For here, as in every part of the Christian life, God will have us to be labourers with Himself;
因为在这里，就像在基督徒生活的每一个部分一样，神要我们要与祂同工；
and the knowledge of the Bible, and a relish for the Bible, are the fruit and recompence of this humble, sincere, and persevering study.’
而对圣经的知识，以及对圣经的喜爱，就是这种谦卑、真诚和坚忍研读的果实和报偿。’
But to come more closely to the difficulties connected with this Book—Besides the objections brought against its principles, the peculiar construction of some of its maxims occasionally gives rise to perplexity.
但为了更贴近地探讨与本书相关的困难——除了对其原则提出的反对意见外，其一些格言的特殊结构偶尔也会引起困惑。
Mr. Holden adverts to the mistake of—’taking in their utmost extent expressions designed to convey a qualified and limited signification.’
霍尔顿（Holden）先生提到了这样一个错误——即‘将旨在传达有限定和局限含义的表达，按其最大程度来理解。’
He wisely remarks—’General propositions are not always to be received in the strictest sense of the words.
他明智地指出——‘普遍性的命题并不总是要按词语最严格的意义来领受。
And particular observations must not be stretched beyond the intention of the writer.
特定的观察也不得引申超过作者的意图。
This results from the inherent imperfection of language, that his expressions ought to be interpreted with such restrictions, as are necessarily required by common sense, and the scope of the context.
鉴于语言固有的不完美，这导致他的表达应当在常识和上下文范围所必然要求的限制下进行解释。
If several expressions in the Ecclesiastes, which have been condemned, be understood in this qualified sense—a sense clearly suggested by truth and reason—they will be found in every respect worthy of the inspired Author, from whom they proceed.’
如果传道书中几个受到谴责的表达，能在这种限定的意义——即真理和理性所清楚表明的意义——上被理解，它们就会被发现从各方面来看都配得上发出它们的那位受默示的作者。’
But with all its difficulties, we must admit the book to be fraught with practical interest.
但尽管有这一切困难，我们必须承认这本书充满了实际的旨趣。
It teaches lessons peculiarly its own—lessons, which we are too slow to learn; and yet, which we must thoroughly learn for our own personal profit and happiness.
它教导它所特有的功课——我们学得太慢的功课；然而，为了我们个人的益处和幸福，我们必须彻底学习这些功课。
They are essential, as preparatory to our enjoyment of the Gospel.
它们是必不可少的，作为我们要享受福音的预备。
The precise place of the Book in the Sacred Canon is somewhat remarkable.
这本书在圣经正典中的确切位置有些引人注目。
Its juxtaposition with ‘The Song’ illustrates a fine and striking contrast between the insufficiency of the creature and the sufficiency of the Saviour.
它与‘雅歌’（The Song）并列，阐明了受造物的不足与救主的充足之间一个美妙而显著的对比。
‘What a stimulus to seek after the true and full knowledge of Christ is the realized conviction of the utter vanity of all things else without Him.’
‘那种意识到没有祂其余万事万物皆全然虚空的定见，对于寻求基督真实和丰满的知识来说，是何等的激励啊。’
To “drink and thirst again” is the disappointment of the world.
“喝了还要再渴”，这是世界的失望。
To “drink and never thirst” is the portion of the Gospel.
“喝了永远不渴”，这是福音的福分。
TABLE OF CONTENTS
目录
PREFACE
前言
CHAPTER 1
第一章
CHAPTER 2
第二章
CHAPTER 3
第三章
CHAPTER 4
第四章
CHAPTER 5
第五章
CHAPTER 6
第六章
CHAPTER 7
第七章
CHAPTER 8
第八章
CHAPTER 9
第九章
CHAPTER 10
第十章
CHAPTER 11
第十一章
CHAPTER 12
第十二章