Ecclesiastes

凡事都有定期，天下萬務都有定時。

To every {thing there is} a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

生有時，死有時；栽種有時，拔出所栽種的也有時；

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up {that which is} planted; {to be...: Heb. to bear}

殺戮有時，醫治有時；拆毀有時，建造有時；

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

哭有時，笑有時；哀慟有時，跳舞有時；

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

拋擲石頭有時，堆聚石頭有時；懷抱有時，不懷抱有時；

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; {to refrain from: Heb. to be far from}

尋找有時，失落有時；保守有時，捨棄有時；

A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; {get: or, seek}

撕裂有時，縫補有時；靜默有時，言語有時；

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

喜愛有時，恨惡有時；爭戰有時，和好有時。

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

這樣看來，做事的人在他的勞碌上有甚麼益處呢？

What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?

我見神叫世人勞苦，使他們在其中受經練。

I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.

神造萬物，各按其時成為美好，又將永生（原文是永遠）安置在世人心裡。然而神從始至終的作為，人不能參透。

He hath made every {thing} beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

我知道世人，莫強如終身喜樂行善；

I know that {there is} no good in them, but for {a man} to rejoice, and to do good in his life.

並且人人吃喝，在他一切勞碌中享福，這也是神的恩賜。

And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it {is} the gift of God.

我知道神一切所做的都必永存；無所增添，無所減少。神這樣行，是要人在他面前存敬畏的心。

I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth {it}, that {men} should fear before him.

現今的事早先就有了，將來的事早已也有了，並且神使已過的事重新再來（或譯：並且神再尋回已過的事）。

That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past. {that which is past: Heb. that which is driven away}

我又見日光之下，在審判之處有奸惡，在公義之處也有奸惡。

And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, {that} wickedness {was} there; and the place of righteousness, {that} iniquity {was} there.

我心裡說，神必審判義人和惡人；因為在那裡，各樣事務，一切工作，都有定時。

I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for {there is} a time there for every purpose and for every work.

我心裡說，這乃為世人的緣故，是神要試驗他們，使他們覺得自己不過像獸一樣。

I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts. {that God...: or, that they might clear God, and see, etc}

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。

For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all {is} vanity.

都歸一處，都是出於塵土，也都歸於塵土。

All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

誰知道人的靈是往上升，獸的魂是下入地呢？

Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? {of man: Heb. of the sons of man} {goeth upward: Heb. is ascending, etc}

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？

Wherefore I perceive that {there is} nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that {is} his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?