3:1 凡事都有定期,天下万务都有定时。
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
3:2 生有时,死有时。栽种有时,拔出所栽种的,也有时。
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3:3 杀戮有时,医治有时。拆毁有时,建造有时。
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
3:4 哭有时,笑有时。哀恸有时,跳舞有时。
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
3:5 抛掷石头有时,堆聚石头有时。怀抱有时,不怀抱有时。
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
3:6 寻梢有时,失落有时。保守有时,舍弃有时。
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
3:7 撕裂有时,缝补有时。静默有时,言语有时。
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
3:8 喜爱有时,恨恶有时。争战有时,和好有时。
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
3:9 这样看来,作事的人在他的劳碌上有什么益处呢。
What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
3:10 我见神叫世人劳苦,使他们在其中受经练。
I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
3:11 神造万物,各按其时成为美好。又将永生安置在世人心里。(永生原文作永远)然而神从始至终的作为,人不能叁透。
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.
3:12 我知道世人,莫强如终身喜乐行善。
I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
3:13 并且人人吃喝,在他一切劳碌中享福。这也是神的恩赐。
And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.
3:14 我知道神一切所作的,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。
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.
3:15 现今的事早先就有了。经来的事早已也有了。并且神使已过的事重新再来。(或作并且神再寻回已过的事)
That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.
3:16 我又见日光之下,在审判之处有奸恶。在公义之处也有奸恶。
And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.
3:17 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。
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.
3:18 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。
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.
3:19 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。
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.
3:20 都归一处。都是出于尘土,也都归于尘土。
All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
3:21 谁知道人的灵是往上升,兽的魂是下入地呢。
Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
3:22 故此,我见人,莫强如他经营的事上喜乐。因为这是他的分。他身后的事,谁能使他回来得见呢。
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?