| 1 | 凡事都有定期、天下萬務都有定時.
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: | |
| 2 | 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 uproot, | |
| 3 | 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 tear down and a time to build, | |
| 4 | 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, | |
| 5 | 拋擲石頭有時、堆聚石頭有時.懷抱有時、不懷抱有時.
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, | |
| 6 | 尋找有時、失落有時.保守有時、捨棄有時.
a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, | |
| 7 | 撕裂有時、縫補有時.靜默有時、言語有時.
a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, | |
| 8 | 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 for war and a time for peace. | |
| 9 | 這樣看來、作事的人在他的勞碌上有甚麼益處呢。
What does the worker gain from his toil? | |
| 10 | 我見 神叫世人勞苦、使他們在其中受經練。
I have seen the burden God has laid on men. | |
| 11 | 神造萬物、各按其時成為美好.又將永生安置在世人心裡.〔永生原文作永遠〕然而 神從始至終的作為、人不能參透。
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. | |
| 12 | 我知道世人、莫強如終身喜樂行善。
I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. | |
| 13 | 並且人人喫喝、在他一切勞碌中享福.這也是 神的恩賜。
That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil--this is the gift of God. | |
| 14 | 我知道 神一切所作的、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 everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him. | |
| 15 | 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.〔或作並且 神再尋回已過的事〕
Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account. | |
| 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。
And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment--wickedness was there, in the place of justice--wickedness was there. | |
| 17 | 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 thought in my heart, "God will bring to judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time for every deed." | |
| 18 | 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 also thought, "As for men, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. | |
| 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。
Man's fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; man has no advantage over the animal. Everything is meaningless. | |
| 20 | 都歸一處.都是出於塵土、也都歸於塵土。
All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. | |
| 21 | 誰知道人的靈是往上昇升、獸的魂是下入地呢。
Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?" | |
| 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。
So I saw 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 happen after him? | |