傳道書 3
1 凡事都有定期， 天下萬務都有定時。
All things have their time, and all things under heaven continue during their interval.
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 pull up what was 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 tear down, and a time to build up.
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 gain, 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 be silent, 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 more does a man have from his labor?
10 我見上帝叫世人勞苦，使他們在其中受經練。
I have seen the affliction that God has given to the sons of men, in order that they may be occupied by 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 has made all things good in their time, and he has handed over the world to their disputes, so that man may not discover the work which God made from the beginning, even until the end.
12 我知道世人，莫強如終身喜樂行善；
And I realize that there is nothing better 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 this is a gift from God: when each man eats and drinks, and sees the good results of his labor.
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 has made continue on, in perpetuity. We are not able to add anything, nor to take anything away, from those things which God has made in order 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。
What has been made, the same continues. What is in the future, has already existed. And God restores what has passed away.
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: instead of judgment, impiety, and instead 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 will judge the just and the impious, and then the time for each matter shall be.”
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, about the sons of men, that God would test them, and reveal them to be like wild animals.
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。
For this reason, the passing away of man and of beasts is one, and the condition of both is equal. For as a man dies, so also do they die. All things breathe similarly, and man has nothing more than beast; for all these are subject to vanity.
20 都歸一處，都是出於塵土，也都歸於塵土。
And all things continue on to one place; for from the earth they were made, and unto the earth they shall return together.
21 誰知道人的靈是往上升，獸的魂是下入地呢？
Who knows if the spirit of the sons 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 discovered nothing to be better than for a man to rejoice in his work: for this is his portion. And who shall add to him, so that he may know the things that will occur after him?
