Ecclesiastes 3
1 For everything there is an appointed time, and a season for every purpose under heaven.
事事有時節，天下任何事皆有定時：
2 There is a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to pull up plants,
生有時，死有時，栽種有時，拔除栽種的亦有時；
3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build up.
殺戮有時，治療有時，拆毀有時，建築有時；
4 There is a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
哭有時，笑有時，哀悼有時，舞蹈有時；
5 a time to throw away stones and a time to gather stones, a time to embrace other people, and a time to refrain from embracing.
拋石有時，堆石有時；擁抱有時，戒避擁抱亦有時；
6 There is a time to look for things and a time to stop looking, a time to keep things and a time to throw away things,
尋找有時，遺失有時；保存有時，捨棄有時；
7 a time to tear clothing and a time to repair clothing, a time to keep silent and a time to speak.
撕裂有時，縫綴有時；緘默有時，言談有時，
8 There is a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
愛慕有時，憎恨有時；作戰有時，和睦有時。
9 What profit does the worker gain in his labor?
工作的人，從勞苦中得了什麼利益﹖
10 I have seen the work that God has given to human beings to complete.
我觀察了天主交予人類所應從事的事務，得知：
11 God has made everything suitable for its own time. He has also placed eternity in their hearts. But mankind cannot understand the deeds that God has done, from their beginning all the way to their end.
天主所行的一切事宜，都很適時，並賜給人認識時事的經歷，但人仍不能明瞭，天主自始至終所做的工作。
12 I know that there is nothing better for anyone than to rejoice and to do good so long as he lives—
於是我明瞭：人類的幸福，只有在此生歡樂享受；
13 and that everyone should eat and drink, and should understand how to enjoy the good that comes from all his work. This is a gift from God.
但人人有吃有喝，享受自己一切勞苦之所得，也是天主的恩賜。
14 I know that whatever God does lasts forever. Nothing can be added to it or taken away, because it is God who has done it so that people will approach him with honor.
我知道：凡天主所行的事，永恒不變，無一可增，無一可減。天主這樣作，是為叫人敬畏他。
15 Whatever exists has already existed; whatever will exist has already existed. God makes human beings seek hidden things.
現今所有的，早已有過；將來所有有，先前已有過；因為天主必追尋已往的事。
16 I have seen the wickedness that is under the sun, where there should be justice, and in place of righteousness, wickedness was there.
我在太陽下還看見：正義之處有不義，公平之處有不平。
17 I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked at the right time for every matter and every deed.”
我心裏想天主必要審判義人和惡人，因為各種事情和行為，在天主那裏都有其定時。
18 I said in my heart, “God tests human beings to show them that they are like animals.”
我想，天主藉此是為使世人認清自己是誰，看清自己與走獸無異。
19 For the fate of the children of mankind and the fate of animals is the same fate for them. The death of one is like the death of the other. The breath is the same for all of them. There is no advantage for mankind over the animals. For is not everything just a breath?
的確，世人的命運，同走獸的命運，都是一樣：前者怎樣死，後者也怎樣死；氣息都一樣，人並不優於走獸：因為都是虛無。
20 Everything is going to the same place. Everything comes from the dust, and everything returns to the dust.
都同歸於一處；既都出於塵土，也都歸於塵土。
21 Who knows whether the spirit of mankind goes upward and the spirit of animals goes downward into the earth?
人的氣息是否向上高升，走獸的氣息是否下降地下，有誰知道﹖
22 So again I realized that there is nothing better for anyone than to take pleasure in his work, for that is his assignment. Who can bring him back to see what happens after him?
因此，我看出：人最好還是享受自己勞苦之所得，因為這是他的命運；有誰能領他去看自己身後的事呢﹖
