Ecclesiastes 3
1 To all things there is a time, and a season for every matter under heaven.
凡事都有定期， 天下万务都有定时。
2 A time of birth, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what has been planted;
生有时，死有时； 栽种有时，拔出所栽种的也有时；
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to pull down, and a time to build up;
杀戮有时，医治有时； 拆毁有时，建造有时；
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to lament, and a time to dance;
哭有时，笑有时； 哀恸有时，跳舞有时；
5 a time to throw stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to abstain from embracing;
抛掷石头有时，堆聚石头有时； 怀抱有时，不怀抱有时；
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
寻找有时，失落有时； 保守有时，舍弃有时；
7 a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to be silent, and a time to speak;
撕裂有时，缝补有时； 静默有时，言语有时；
8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
喜爱有时，恨恶有时； 争战有时，和好有时。
9 What advantage [has] he that works in those things wherein he labours?
这样看来，做事的人在他的劳碌上有什么益处呢？
10 I have seen all the trouble, which God has given to the sons of men to be troubled with.
我见 神叫世人劳苦，使他们在其中受经练。
11 All the things which he has made are beautiful in his time: he has also set the whole world in their heart, that man might not find out the work which God has wrought from the beginning even to the end.
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。
12 I know that there is no good in them, except [for a man] to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
我知道世人，莫强如终身喜乐行善；
13 Also [in the case of] every man who shall eat and drink, and see good in all his labour, [this] is a gift of God.
并且人人吃喝，在他一切劳碌中享福，这也是 神的恩赐。
14 I know that whatever things God has done, they shall be for ever: it is impossible to add to it, and it is impossible to take away from it: and God has done [it], that [men] may fear before him.
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。
15 That which has been is now; and whatever things [are appointed] to be have already been; and God will seek out that which is past.
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。
16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgement, there was the ungodly one; and the place of righteousness, there was the godly one.
我又见日光之下，在审判之处有奸恶，在公义之处也有奸恶。
17 And I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the ungodly: for there is a time there for every action and for every work.
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。
18 I said in my heart, concerning the speech of the sons of man, God will judge them, and that to show that they are breasts.
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。
19 Also to them is the event of the sons of man, and the event of the brute; one event befalls them: as is the death of the one, so also the death of the other; and there is one breath to all: and what has the man more than the brute? nothing; for all is vanity.
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。
20 All [go] to one place; all were formed of the dust, and all will return to dust.
都归一处，都是出于尘土，也都归于尘土。
21 And who has seen the spirit of the sons of man, whether it goes upward? and the spirit of the beast, whether it goes downward to the earth?
谁知道人的灵是往上升，兽的魂是下入地呢？
22 And I saw that there was no good, but that wherein a man shall rejoice in his works, for it is his portion, for who shall bring him to see any thing of that which shall be after him?
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？
