Ecclesiastes 3
1 To all things there is an appointed time, and a time to euery purpose vnder the heauen.
凡事都有定期， 天下萬務都有定時。
2 A time to bee borne, and a time to die: a time to plant, and a time to plucke vp that which is planted.
生有時，死有時； 栽種有時，拔出所栽種的也有時；
3 A time to slay, and a time to heale: a time to breake downe, and a time to builde.
殺戮有時，醫治有時； 拆毀有時，建造有時；
4 A time to weepe, and a time to laugh: a time to mourne, and a time to dance.
哭有時，笑有時； 哀慟有時，跳舞有時；
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones: a time to embrace, and a time to be farre from embracing.
拋擲石頭有時，堆聚石頭有時； 懷抱有時，不懷抱有時；
6 A time to seeke, and a time to lose: a time to keepe, and a time to cast away.
尋找有時，失落有時； 保守有時，捨棄有時；
7 A time to rent, and a time to sowe: a time to keepe silence, and a time to speake.
撕裂有時，縫補有時； 靜默有時，言語有時；
8 A time to loue, and a time to hate: a time of warre, and a time of peace.
喜愛有時，恨惡有時； 爭戰有時，和好有時。
9 What profite hath hee that worketh of the thing wherein he trauaileth?
這樣看來，做事的人在他的勞碌上有甚麼益處呢？
10 I haue seene the trauaile that God hath giuen to ye sonnes of men to humble them thereby.
我見上帝叫世人勞苦，使他們在其中受經練。
11 He hath made euery thing beautifull in his time: also he hath set the worlde in their heart, yet can not man finde out the worke that God hath wrought from the beginning euen to the end.
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。
12 I know that there is nothing good in them, but to reioyce, and to doe good in his life.
我知道世人，莫強如終身喜樂行善；
13 And also that euery man eateth and drinketh, and seeth the commoditie of all his labour. this is the gift of God.
並且人人吃喝，在他一切勞碌中享福，這也是上帝的恩賜。
14 I knowe that whatsoeuer God shall doe, it shalbe for euer: to it can no man adde, and from it can none diminish: for God hath done it, that they should feare before him.
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。
15 What is that that hath bene? that is nowe: and that that shalbe, hath now bene: for God requireth that which is past.
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。
16 And moreouer I haue seene vnder the sunne the place of iudgement, where was wickednesse, and the place of iustice where was iniquitie.
我又見日光之下，在審判之處有奸惡，在公義之處也有奸惡。
17 I thought in mine heart, God wil iudge the iust and the wicked: for time is there for euery purpose and for euery worke.
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。
18 I considered in mine heart the state of the children of men that God had purged them: yet to see to, they are in themselues as beastes.
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。
19 For the condition of the children of men, and the condition of beasts are euen as one condition vnto them. As the one dyeth, so dyeth the other: for they haue all one breath, and there is no excellency of man aboue ye beast: for all is vanitie.
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。
20 All goe to one place, and all was of the dust, and all shall returne to the dust.
都歸一處，都是出於塵土，也都歸於塵土。
21 Who knoweth whether the spirit of man ascend vpward, and the spirit of the beast descend downeward to the earth?
誰知道人的靈是往上升，獸的魂是下入地呢？
22 Therefore I see that there is nothing better then that a man shoulde reioyce in his affaires, because that is his portion. For who shall bring him to see what shalbe after him?
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？
