传道书 3
1 凡事都有定期， 天下万务都有定时。
For everything there is a fixed time, and a time for every business under the sun.
2 生有时，死有时； 栽种有时，拔出所栽种的也有时；
A time for birth and a time for death; a time for planting and a time for uprooting;
3 杀戮有时，医治有时； 拆毁有时，建造有时；
A time to put to death and a time to make well; a time for pulling down and a time for building up;
4 哭有时，笑有时； 哀恸有时，跳舞有时；
A time for weeping and a time for laughing; a time for sorrow and a time for dancing;
5 抛掷石头有时，堆聚石头有时； 怀抱有时，不怀抱有时；
A time to take stones away and a time to get stones together; a time for kissing and a time to keep from kissing;
6 寻找有时，失落有时； 保守有时，舍弃有时；
A time for search and a time for loss; a time to keep and a time to give away;
7 撕裂有时，缝补有时； 静默有时，言语有时；
A time for undoing and a time for stitching; a time for keeping quiet and a time for talk;
8 喜爱有时，恨恶有时； 争战有时，和好有时。
A time for love and a time for hate; a time for war and a time for peace.
9 这样看来，做事的人在他的劳碌上有什么益处呢？
What profit has the worker in the work which he does?
10 我见 神叫世人劳苦，使他们在其中受经练。
I saw the work which God has put on the sons of man.
11 神造万物，各按其时成为美好，又将永生安置在世人心里。然而 神从始至终的作为，人不能参透。
He has made everything right in its time; but he has made their hearts without knowledge, so that man is unable to see the works of God, from the first to the last.
12 我知道世人，莫强如终身喜乐行善；
I am certain that there is nothing better for a man than to be glad, and to do good while life is in him.
13 并且人人吃喝，在他一切劳碌中享福，这也是 神的恩赐。
And for every man to take food and drink, and have joy in all his work, is a reward from God.
14 我知道 神一切所做的都必永存；无所增添，无所减少。 神这样行，是要人在他面前存敬畏的心。
I am certain that whatever God does will be for ever. No addition may be made to it, nothing may be taken from it; and God has done it so that man may be in fear before him.
15 现今的事早先就有了，将来的事早已也有了，并且 神使已过的事重新再来。
Whatever is has been before, and what is to be is now; because God makes search for the things which are past.
16 我又见日光之下，在审判之处有奸恶，在公义之处也有奸恶。
And again, I saw under the sun, in the place of the judges, that evil was there; and in the place of righteousness, that evil was there.
17 我心里说， 神必审判义人和恶人；因为在那里，各样事务，一切工作，都有定时。
I said in my heart, God will be judge of the good and of the bad; because a time for every purpose and for every work has been fixed by him.
18 我心里说，这乃为世人的缘故，是 神要试验他们，使他们觉得自己不过像兽一样。
I said in my heart, It is because of the sons of men, so that God may put them to the test and that they may see themselves as beasts.
19 因为世人遭遇的，兽也遭遇，所遭遇的都是一样：这个怎样死，那个也怎样死，气息都是一样。人不能强于兽，都是虚空。
Because the fate of the sons of men and the fate of the beasts is the same. As is the death of one so is the death of the other, and all have one spirit. Man is not higher than the beasts; because all is to no purpose.
20 都归一处，都是出于尘土，也都归于尘土。
All go to one place, all are of the dust, and all will be turned to dust again.
21 谁知道人的灵是往上升，兽的魂是下入地呢？
Who is certain that the spirit of the sons of men goes up to heaven, or that the spirit of the beasts goes down to the earth?
22 故此，我见人莫强如在他经营的事上喜乐，因为这是他的分。他身后的事谁能使他回来得见呢？
So I saw that there is nothing better than for a man to have joy in his work — because that is his reward. Who will make him see what will come after him?
