傳道書 3
1 凡事都有定期， 天下萬務都有定時。
All things have their season, and in their times all things pass under heaven.
2 生有時，死有時； 栽種有時，拔出所栽種的也有時；
A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.
3 殺戮有時，醫治有時； 拆毀有時，建造有時；
A time to kill, and a time to heal. A time to destroy, and a time to build.
4 哭有時，笑有時； 哀慟有時，跳舞有時；
A time to weep, and a time to laugh. A time to mourn, and a time to dance.
5 拋擲石頭有時，堆聚石頭有時； 懷抱有時，不懷抱有時；
A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather. A time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.
6 尋找有時，失落有時； 保守有時，捨棄有時；
A time to get, and a time to lose. A time to keep, and a time to cast away.
7 撕裂有時，縫補有時； 靜默有時，言語有時；
A time to rend, and a time to sew. A time to keep silence, and a time to speak.
8 喜愛有時，恨惡有時； 爭戰有時，和好有時。
A time of love, and a time of hatred. A time of war, and a time of peace.
9 這樣看來，做事的人在他的勞碌上有甚麼益處呢？
What hath man more of his labour?
10 我見上帝叫世人勞苦，使他們在其中受經練。
I have seen the trouble, which God hath given the sons of men to be exercised in it.
11 上帝造萬物，各按其時成為美好，又將永生安置在世人心裏。然而上帝從始至終的作為，人不能參透。
He hath made all things good in their time, and hath delivered the world to their consideration, so that man cannot find out the work which God hath made from the beginning to the end.
12 我知道世人，莫強如終身喜樂行善；
And I have known that there was no better thing than to rejoice, and to do well in this life.
13 並且人人吃喝，在他一切勞碌中享福，這也是上帝的恩賜。
For every man that eateth and drinketh, and seeth good of his labour, this is the gift of God.
14 我知道上帝一切所做的都必永存；無所增添，無所減少。上帝這樣行，是要人在他面前存敬畏的心。
I have learned that all the works which God hath made, continue for ever: we cannot add any thing, nor take away from those things which God hath made that he may be feared.
15 現今的事早先就有了，將來的事早已也有了，並且上帝使已過的事重新再來。
That which hath been made, the same continueth: the things that shall be, have already been: and God restoreth that which is past.
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。
I saw under the sun in the place of judgment wickedness, and in the place of justice iniquity.
17 我心裏說，上帝必審判義人和惡人；因為在那裏，各樣事務，一切工作，都有定時。
And I said in my heart: God shall judge both the just and the wicked, and then shall be the time of every thing.
18 我心裏說，這乃為世人的緣故，是上帝要試驗他們，使他們覺得自己不過像獸一樣。
I said in my heart concerning the sons of men, that God would prove them, and shew them to be like beasts.
19 因為世人遭遇的，獸也遭遇，所遭遇的都是一樣：這個怎樣死，那個也怎樣死，氣息都是一樣。人不能強於獸，都是虛空。
Therefore the death of man, and of beasts is one, and the condition of them both is equal: as man dieth, so they also die: all things breathe alike, and man hath nothing more than beast: all things are subject to vanity.
20 都歸一處，都是出於塵土，也都歸於塵土。
And all things go to one place: of earth they were made, and into earth they return together.
21 誰知道人的靈是往上升，獸的魂是下入地呢？
Who knoweth if the spirit of the children of Adam ascend upward, and if the spirit of the beasts descend downward?
22 故此，我見人莫強如在他經營的事上喜樂，因為這是他的分。他身後的事誰能使他回來得見呢？
And I have found that nothing is better than for a man to rejoice in his work, and that this is his portion. For who shall bring him to know the things that shall be after him?
