Ecclesiastes 3

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

1 凡事都有定期， 天下萬務都有定時。

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

2 生有時，死有時； 栽種有時，拔出所栽種的也有時；

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

3 殺戮有時，醫治有時； 拆毀有時，建造有時；

4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,

4 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 together, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

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

6 尋找有時，失落有時； 保守有時，捨棄有時；

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

7 撕裂有時，縫補有時； 靜默有時，言語有時；

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

8 喜愛有時，恨惡有時； 爭戰有時，和好有時。

9 What does the worker gain from his toil?

9 這樣看來，做事的人在他的勞碌上有甚麼益處呢？

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

10 我見上帝叫世人勞苦，使他們在其中受經練。

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 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 better for them than to rejoice and do good while they live,

12 我知道世人，莫強如終身喜樂行善；

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

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

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 。

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 我又見日光之下，在審判之處有奸惡，在公義之處也有奸惡。

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

20 都歸一處，都是出於塵土，也都歸於塵土。

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

21 誰知道人的靈是往上升，獸的魂是下入地呢？

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 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？