Thanks Shalat Ecclesiastes 1 12 1 Thess 5

Thanks Shalat 感恩而能享福 傳道書 Ecclesiastes 1 -12 帖前 1 Thess 5: 18; 提前 1 Tim 6: 6

Knowledge and Wisdom 知識与智慧 • Knowledge: Information learned 知識: 從別處学來的資訊 • Wisdom: Skills of applying knowledge to life – (The art of living) • 智慧: 將知識�用在生活上的技能 – (生活的藝術)

傳道 Ecc 1: 2 -3 • 2 “Vanity of vanities, ” says the Preacher, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity. ” 3 What advantage does man have in all his work Which he does under the sun? (NASB) • 2 傳道者說，虛空的虛空‧ 凡事都是虛空‧ 3 人一切的勞碌，就是他 在日光之下的勞碌，有什麼益處呢?

Translation of Hebrew word “hevel”: 希伯來字 “hevel” 的翻譯: • • Vapor (蒸氣) Vanity (虛空, 捕風, 枉然) Meaningless (無意義) Futility (徒勞, 白費, 枉然) Breath (呼吸, 一口氣) Used more than 30 times in Ecclesiastes (傳道書用此字 30次以上) Life passes so quickly, like a vapor. (人生過得飛快, 如同一絲蒸氣. ) (Ref: 参: 詩 Psalm 39: 5, 6, 11; 61: 9; 144: 4; 約伯 Job 7: 16; 雅各 James 4: 14; 詩 Psalm 90: 5 -6, 10)

1. Life is short and transient like a vapor and we must live in the moment. 生命如一絲蒸氣般的短促及無常; 我們必須好好地活在(把握)此刻. (傳 Ecc 1: 2; 12: 8; 詩 Psalm 39: 5; 90: 5 -6, 10; 雅 James 4: 14)

2. God is wise and has a plan even when we can’t always figure it out. 神是充满智慧的: 雖然我們不明白, 祂卻仍有完美的計劃. (傳 Ecc 3: 11, 1 -8; 7: 14; 8: 17)

傳 Ecc 3: 11 • He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. (NIV) • 神造萬物，各按其時成為美好‧又將永生 安置在世人心裡‧� 永生原文作永遠� 然 而神從始至終的作為，人不能參透‧

3. God is good and life is a good gift from Him to enjoy. 神是美善的: 生命是祂親手所賜給 我們享受的美好礼物. (傳 Ecc 3: 12 -13; 5: 18 -20)

傳 Ecc 5: 18 -20 • 1� 8� Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him—for this is his lot. 19� � Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God. � 20� He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart. (NIV) • 18我所見為善為美的，就是人在神賜他一生的日子 吃喝，享受日光之下勞碌得來的好處‧因為這是他 的分‧ 19神賜人資財豐富，使他能以吃用，能取自己 的分，在他勞碌中喜樂‧這乃是神的恩賜‧ 20他不多 思念自己一生的年日‧因為神應他的心使他喜樂‧

4. God is just and shall reward the good and judge the wrongs that have been done. 神是公義的: 祂必要賞賜我們所行的 善及審判我們所行的惡. (傳 Ecc 3: 16 -17; 8: 11 -13)

傳 Ecc 3: 16 -17 • 16 Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness. 17 I said to myself, “God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man, ” for a time for every matter and for every deed is there. • 16我又見日光之下，在審判之處有奸惡‧在公 義之處也有奸惡‧ 17我心裡說，神必審判義人 和惡人‧因為在那裡，各樣事務，一切 作， 都有定時‧

5. A heart of thanksgiving empowers us to enjoy His good gifts. (Thanks Shalat) 感恩的心能帶給我们 享受神美好禮物(享福)的能力. (傳 Ecc 5: 18 -20; 6: 1 -6; 帖前 1 Thess 5: 18; 腓 Phil 4: 6 -7)

傳 Ecc 5: 18 -20 • � 19 Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God. 20 For he will not often consider the years of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart. (NASB) • 19 神賜人資財豐富，使他能以吃用，能取 自己的分，在他勞碌中喜樂‧這乃是神的恩 賜‧ 20 他不多思念自己一生的年日‧因為神 應他的心使他喜樂‧

傳道 Ecc 6: 1 -6 • 1 I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on men: 2 God gives a man wealth, possessions and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires, but God does not enable him to enjoy them, and a stranger enjoys them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil. 3 A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. 4 It comes without meaning, it departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is shrouded. 5 Though it never saw the sun or knew anything, it has more rest than does that man— 6 even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?

6. Thanksgiving starts with counting all of God’s blessings (gifts). 感恩始於數算神所有的恩典. (傳 Ecc 3: 12 -13; 5: 18 -20; 羅 Rom 8: 28; 帖前 1 Th 5: 16 -18; 雅 James 1: 2) • 1� 6� Be joyful always; � 17� pray continually; � 18� give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Th 5: 16 -18, NIV) • 16 要常常喜樂‧ 17 不住的禱告‧ 18 凡事謝恩‧因 為這是神在基督耶穌裡向你們所定的旨意‧

傳 Ecc 3: 12 -13 • 1� 2� I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. � 13� That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil— this is the gift of God. • 12 我知道世人，莫強如終身喜樂行善‧ 13 並且人人吃喝，在他一切勞碌中享福‧這 也是神的恩賜‧

羅馬 Rom 8: 28 • And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (NIV) • 我們曉得萬事都互相效力，叫愛神的 人得益處，就是按�旨意被召的人 ‧

7. We must make wise choices before it is too late. 我們要趁着還來得及的時候 作及時及有智慧的選擇 (決定). (傳 Ecc 12: 1, 6 -8, 13 -14). (Ref 参: 詩 Psalm 39: 5; 90: 5 -6, 10, 12; 雅 James 4: 14)

傳 Ecc 12: 1 • Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them. ” (NIV) • 你趁著年幼，衰敗的日子尚未來到，就 是你所說，我毫無喜樂的那些年日未曾 臨近之先，當記念造你的主‧

詩 Psalm 90: 12 • Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (NIV) • 求你指教我們怎樣數算自己的日 子，好叫我們得著智慧的心‧ – 86, 400 Sec/day (每天有 86, 400 秒)

8. Distracting restlessness (Futile pursuit) can prevent us from enjoying the gift of life. 徒勞的追求使我們不能享受 神所賜生命的礼物. (傳 Ecc 1: 4 -11; 5: 18 -20; 來 Heb 6: 19; 詩 Psalm 46: 10) • The wind blows south and north, here and there, twisting back and forth, getting nowhere. (Ecc 1: 6, NLT) • 風往南颳，又向北轉，不住的旋轉，而且 返回轉行原道‧

詩 Psalm 46: 10 • “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. ” (NIV) • “你們要休息，要知道我是神‧ 我必在外邦中被尊崇， 在遍地上也被尊崇‧”

9. “But godliness with contentment is great gain. ” 敬虔加上知足的心是蒙福的秘訣. (傳 Ecc 5: 18 -20; 提前 1 Tim 6: 6 -10; 羅 Rom 8: 28; 腓 Phil 4: 11 -13; 林後 2 Co 12: 10; 來 Heb 13: 5) • 1� 9� Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God. � 20� He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart. (傳 Ecc 5: 19 -20) • 19 神賜人資財豐富，使他能以吃用，能取自己 的分，在他勞碌中喜樂‧這乃是神的恩賜‧ 20 他 不多思念自己一生的年日‧因為神應他的心使 他喜樂‧

提前 1 Tim 6: 6 -10 • 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. • 6然而敬虔加上知足的心便是大利了‧ 7因為我們 沒有帶什麼到世上來，也不能帶什麼去‧ 8只要有 衣有食，就當知足‧ 9但那些想要發財的人，就陷 在迷惑，落在網羅，和許多無知有害的私慾裡， 叫人沉在敗壞和滅亡中‧ 10貪財是萬惡之根‧有人 貪戀錢財，就被引誘離了真道，用許多愁苦把自 己刺透了‧

腓 Phil 4: 11 -13 • 12� �� I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. � 13� I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (NIV) • 12我知道怎樣處卑賤，也知道怎樣處豐富，或飽 足，或飢餓，或有餘，或缺乏，隨事隨在，我都 得了 (知足的) 秘訣‧ 13我靠著那加給我力量的， 凡事都能作‧

Contentment 知足 • The ability to enjoy life with what one already has, without having more. • 知足乃是一种特殊的能力: 透過 已經有的就能充份享受人生; 不 需要有更多.

10. True wisdom is knowing how to live and work by God’s will and plan. 真正的智慧是知道怎樣在神的旨 意与計劃中生活与行事. (傳 Ecc 1: 12 -18; 箴 Proverbs 3: 5 -6) (Serenity Prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr 尼泊: 寧静之祷) • � For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief. (傳 Ecc 1: 18) • 因為多有智慧，就多有愁煩‧加增知 識的，就加增憂傷‧

箴言 Proverbs 3: 5 -6 • 5�� Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6� in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. • 5你要專心仰賴耶和華，不可倚靠自 己的聰明‧ 6在你一切所行的事上， 都要認定他，他必指引你的路‧

Serenity Prayer (求寧静的祷告) by Reinhold Niebuhr • God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. • 神哪, 求祢賜我心灵的寧静, 讓我去接受我所不能改變的事物; 賜我勇氣, 去改�我所能改變的 ; 賜我智慧, 能分辨兩者的不同.

Personal Response 個人回�