传道书 3
1 凡事都有定期， 天下万务都有定时。
All things have their season, and in their times all things pass under heaven.
2 生有时，死有时； 栽种有时，拔出所栽种的也有时；
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 杀戮有时，医治有时； 拆毁有时，建造有时；
A time to kill, and a time to heal. A time to destroy, and a time to build.
4 哭有时，笑有时； 哀恸有时，跳舞有时；
A time to weep, and a time to laugh. A time to mourn, and a time to dance.
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 scatter stones, and a time to gather. A time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.
6 寻找有时，失落有时； 保守有时，舍弃有时；
A time to get, and a time to lose. A time to keep, and a time to cast away.
7 撕裂有时，缝补有时； 静默有时，言语有时；
A time to rend, and a time to sew. A time to keep silence, and a time to speak.
8 喜爱有时，恨恶有时； 争战有时，和好有时。
A time of love, and a time of hatred. A time of war, and a time of peace.
9 这样看来，做事的人在他的劳碌上有什么益处呢？
What hath man more of his labour?
10 我见 神叫世人劳苦，使他们在其中受经练。
I have seen the trouble, which God hath given the sons of men to be exercised in it.
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 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，莫强如终身喜乐行善；
And I have known that there was no better thing than to rejoice, and to do well in this life.
13 并且人人吃喝，在他一切劳碌中享福，这也是 神的恩赐。
For every man that eateth and drinketh, and seeth good of his labour, this is the gift of 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 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 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。
That which hath been made, the same continueth: the things that shall be, have already been: and God restoreth that which is past.
16 我又见日光之下，在审判之处有奸恶，在公义之处也有奸恶。
I saw under the sun in the place of judgment wickedness, and in the place of justice iniquity.
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。
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 concerning the sons of men, that God would prove them, and shew them to be like 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。
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 都归一处，都是出于尘土，也都归于尘土。
And all things go to one place: of earth they were made, and into earth they return together.
21 谁知道人的灵是往上升，兽的魂是下入地呢？
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？
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?
