Ecclesiastes 3

1 To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:

1 天下万物都有定期， 凡事都有定时。

2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,

2 出生有时，死亡有时； 耕种有时，拔出有时；

3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build,

3 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 mourn and a time to dance,

4 哭泣有时，欢笑有时； 哀伤有时，雀跃有时；

5 a time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

5 抛石有时，堆石有时 ； 拥抱有时，避开有时；

6 a time to search and a time to count as lost, a time to keep and a time to discard,

6 寻找有时，遗失有时； 保存有时，丢弃有时；

7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,

7 撕裂有时，缝合有时； 沉默有时，发言有时；

8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

8 爱慕有时，憎恶有时； 争战有时，和好有时。

9 What does the worker gain from his toil?

9 那么，人劳碌做工有什么益处呢？

10 I have seen the burden that God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them.

10 我察觉上帝给世人重担，使他们忙碌不休。

11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom the work that God has done from beginning to end.

11 祂使万事各按其时变得美好，又把永恒的意识放在人心里，人却不能测透上帝从始至终的作为。

12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and do good while they live,

12 我认识到，人生在世没有什么比欢乐、享受更好。

13 and also that every man should eat and drink and find satisfaction in all his labor—this is the gift of God.

13 人人都该吃喝、享受自己劳苦的成果，这是上帝的恩赐。

14 I know that everything God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God does it so that they should fear Him.

14 我知道，上帝所做的都会存到永远，谁也不能增减。祂这样安排是叫人敬畏祂。

15 What exists has already been, and what will be has already been, for God will call to account what has passed.

15 现在的事并不是新事，未来的事也早已发生过。上帝使过去的事再次出现。

16 Furthermore, I saw under the sun that in the place of judgment there is wickedness, and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.

16 我又看到日光之下，即使在公道和正义之地也有邪恶。

17 I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked, since there is a time for every activity and every deed.”

17 我心里想：“不论义人或恶人，上帝必审判，因为万事万务都有定时。”

18 I said to myself, “As for the sons of men, God tests them so that they may see for themselves that they are but beasts.”

18 我又想：“至于世人，上帝试验他们，是要他们知道自己与兽类无异。

19 For the fates of both men and beasts are the same: As one dies, so dies the other—they all have the same breath. Man has no advantage over the animals, since everything is futile.

19 因为人和兽的际遇并无分别，两者都难逃一死，活着都靠一口气。人并不比兽强，一切都是虚空。

20 All go to one place; all come from dust, and all return to dust.

20 两者都同归一处，出于尘土，也归于尘土。

21 Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and the spirit of the animal descends into the earth?

21 谁知道人的气息 会向上升，兽的气息会降到地下呢？”

22 I have seen that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will come after him?

22 因此，我觉得没有什么比人享受工作之乐更好，因为这是人当得的。人死后，谁能使他看到世间的事呢？