Ecclesiastes 3

凡事都有定期， 天下万务都有定时。

fán shì dōu yǒu dìng qī ， tiān xià wàn wù dōu yǒu dìng shí 。

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

生有时，死有时； 栽种有时，拔出所栽种的也有时；

shēng yǒu shí ， sǐ yǒu shí ； zāi zhòng yǒu shí ， bá chū suǒ zāi zhòng de yě yǒu shí ；

a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

杀戮有时，医治有时； 拆毁有时，建造有时；

shā lù yǒu shí ， yī zhì yǒu shí ； chāi huǐ yǒu shí ， jiàn zào yǒu shí ；

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

哭有时，笑有时； 哀恸有时，跳舞有时；

kū yǒu shí ， xiào yǒu shí ； āi tòng yǒu shí ， tiào wǔ yǒu shí ；

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

抛掷石头有时，堆聚石头有时； 怀抱有时，不怀抱有时；

pāo zhì shí tou yǒu shí ， duī jù shí tou yǒu shí ； huái bào yǒu shí ， bù huái bào yǒu shí ；

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

寻找有时，失落有时； 保守有时，舍弃有时；

xún zhǎo yǒu shí ， shī luò yǒu shí ； bǎo shǒu yǒu shí ， shè qì yǒu shí ；

a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

撕裂有时，缝补有时； 静默有时，言语有时；

sī liè yǒu shí ， féng bǔ yǒu shí ； jìng mò yǒu shí ， yán yǔ yǒu shí ；

a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

喜爱有时，恨恶有时； 争战有时，和好有时。

xǐ ài yǒu shí ， hèn è yǒu shí ； zhēng zhàn yǒu shí ， hé hǎo yǒu shí 。

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

这样看来，做事的人在他的劳碌上有什么益处呢？

zhè yàng kàn lái ， zuò shì de rén zài tā de láo lù shàng yǒu shén me yì chù ne ？

What profit has he who works in that in which he labors?

我见 神叫世人劳苦，使他们在其中受经练。

wǒ jiàn shén jiào shì rén láo kǔ ， shǐ tā men zài qí zhōng shòu jīng liàn 。

I have seen the burden which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.

神造万物，各按其时成为美好，又将永生 安置在世人心里。然而 神从始至终的作为，人不能参透。

shén zào wàn wù ， gè àn qí shí chéng wéi měi hǎo ， yòu jiāng yǒng shēng ān zhì zài shì rén xīn lǐ 。 rán ér shén cóng shǐ zhì zhōng de zuò wéi ， rén bù néng cān tòu 。

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts, yet so that man can’t find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end.

我知道世人，莫强如终身喜乐行善；

wǒ zhī dào shì rén ， mò qiáng rú zhōng shēn xǐ lè xíng shàn ；

I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live.

并且人人吃喝，在他一切劳碌中享福，这也是 神的恩赐。

bìng qiě rén rén chī hē ， zài tā yí qiè láo lù zhōng xiǎng fú ， zhè yě shì shén de ēn cì 。

Also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God.

我知道 神一切所做的都必永存；无所增添，无所减少。 神这样行，是要人在他面前存敬畏的心。

wǒ zhī dào shén yí qiè suǒ zuò de dōu bì yǒng cún ； wú suǒ zēng tiān ， wú suǒ jiǎn shǎo 。 shén zhè yàng xíng ， shì yào rén zài tā miàn qián cún jìng wèi de xīn 。

I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; and God has done it, that men should fear before him.

现今的事早先就有了，将来的事早已也有了，并且 神使已过的事重新再来 。

xiàn jīn de shì zǎo xiān jiù yǒu le ， jiāng lái de shì zǎo yǐ yě yǒu le ， bìng qiě shén shǐ yǐ guò de shì chóng xīn zài lái 。

That which is has been long ago, and that which is to be has been long ago. God seeks again that which is passed away.

我又见日光之下，在审判之处有奸恶，在公义之处也有奸恶。

wǒ yòu jiàn rì guāng zhī xià ， zài shěn pàn zhī chù yǒu jiān è ， zài gōng yì zhī chù yě yǒu jiān è 。

Moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there.

我心里说， 神必审判义人和恶人；因为在那里，各样事务，一切工作，都有定时。

wǒ xīn lǐ shuō ， shén bì shěn pàn yì rén hé è rén ； yīn wèi zài nà lǐ ， gè yàng shì wù ， yí qiè gōng zuò ， dōu yǒu dìng shí 。

I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”

我心里说，这乃为世人的缘故，是 神要试验他们，使他们觉得自己不过像兽一样。

wǒ xīn lǐ shuō ， zhè nǎi wèi shì rén de yuán gù ， shì shén yào shì yàn tā men ， shǐ tā men jué de zì jǐ bú guò xiàng shòu yí yàng 。

I said in my heart, “As for the sons of men, God tests them, so that they may see that they themselves are like animals.

因为世人遭遇的，兽也遭遇，所遭遇的都是一样：这个怎样死，那个也怎样死，气息都是一样。人不能强于兽，都是虚空。

yīn wèi shì rén zāo yù de ， shòu yě zāo yù ， suǒ zāo yù de dōu shì yí yàng ： zhè ge zěn yàng sǐ ， nà gè yě zěn yàng sǐ ， qì xī dōu shì yí yàng 。 rén bù néng qiáng yú shòu ， dōu shì xū kōng 。

For that which happens to the sons of men happens to animals. Even one thing happens to them. As the one dies, so the other dies. Yes, they have all one breath; and man has no advantage over the animals, for all is vanity.

都归一处，都是出于尘土，也都归于尘土。

dōu guī yī chù ， dōu shì chū yú chén tǔ ， yě dōu guī yú chén tǔ 。

All go to one place. All are from the dust, and all turn to dust again.

谁知道人的灵是往上升，兽的魂是下入地呢？

shuí zhī dào rén de líng shì wǎng shàng shēng ， shòu de hún shì xià rù dì ne ？

Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes downward to the earth?”

故此，我见人莫强如在他经营的事上喜乐，因为这是他的分。他身后的事谁能使他回来得见呢？

gù cǐ ， wǒ jiàn rén mò qiáng rú zài tā jīng yíng de shì shàng xǐ lè ， yīn wèi zhè shì tā de fēn 。 tā shēn hòu de shì shuí néng shǐ tā huí lái de jiàn ne ？

Therefore I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his works, for that is his portion; for who can bring him to see what will be after him?