传道书 3
1 凡事都有定期， 天下万务都有定时。
For every thing there is a fixed period, and an appointed time to every thing 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 what 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 breaking down, and a time to build up.
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 cast stones asunder, and a time to gather stones together. A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.
6 寻找有时，失落有时； 保守有时，舍弃有时；
A time to seek, 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 to love, and a time to hate. 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 profit hath he who laboreth from that with which he wearieth himself?
10 我见 神叫世人劳苦，使他们在其中受经练。
I have seen the business which God hath given to the sons of men to exercise themselves therewith.
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。
God maketh every thing good in its time; but he hath put the world into the heart of man, so that he understandeth not the work which God doeth, from the beginning to the end.
12 我知道世人，莫强如终身喜乐行善；
I know that there is nothing better for a man than that he should rejoice and enjoy good his life long.
13 并且人人吃喝，在他一切劳碌中享福，这也是 神的恩赐。
But when a man eateth and drinketh, and enjoyeth good through all his labor, 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 know that whatever God doeth, that shall be for ever. Nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken from it; and God doeth it that men may 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。
That which is, was long ago; and that which is to be, hath already been; and God recalleth 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。
Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice there was iniquity; and in the place of righteousness, 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。
Then said I in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked.” For there shall be a time for every matter and for every work.
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 will prove them, in order that they may see that they are like the 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。
For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts: one lot befalleth both. As the one dieth, so dieth the other. Yea, there is one spirit in them, and a man hath no pre-eminence above a beast; for all is vanity.
20 都归一处，都是出于尘土，也都归于尘土。
All go to one place; all are from the dust, and all turn to dust again.
21 谁知道人的灵是往上升，兽的魂是下入地呢？
Who knoweth the spirit of man, whether it goeth upward, and the spirit of a beast, whether it goeth downward 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？
And so I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his labors; for that is his portion. For who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
