3:1 凡事都有定期,
天下万务都有定时。
3:2 生有时,死有时;
栽种有时,拔出所栽种的也有时;
3:3 杀戮有时,医治有时;
拆毁有时,建造有时;
3:4 哭有时,笑有时;
哀恸有时,跳舞有时;
3:5 抛掷石头有时,堆聚石头有时;
怀抱有时,不怀抱有时;
3:6 寻找有时,失落有时;
保守有时,舍弃有时;
3:7 撕裂有时,缝补有时;
静默有时,言语有时;
3:8 喜爱有时,恨恶有时;
争战有时,和好有时。
3:9 这样看来,做事的人在他的劳碌上有什么益处呢?
3:10 我见 神叫世人劳苦,使他们在其中受经练。
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(注:“永生”原文作“永远”)。然而 神从始至终的作为,人不能参透。
3:12 我知道世人,莫强如终身喜乐行善,
3:13 并且人人吃喝,在他一切劳碌中享福,这也是 神的恩赐。
3:14 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。
1There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
2a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,
4a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
6a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
9What does the worker gain from his toil?
10I have seen the burden God has laid on men.
11He 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.
12I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live.
13That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil-this is the gift of God.
14I 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.