凡事都有定期，天下萬務都有定時。
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
凡事都有定期，天下萬務都有定時。
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under 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 what is planted;
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;
尋找有時，失落有時；保守有時，捨棄有時；
a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
撕裂有時，縫補有時；靜默有時，言語有時；
a time to tear, 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 for war, and a time for peace.
這樣看來，做事的人在他的勞碌上有甚麼益處呢？
What gain has the worker from his toil?
我見神叫世人勞苦，使他們在其中受經練。
I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with.
神造萬物，各按其時成為美好，又將永生安置在世人心裏〔「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. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.
我知道世人，莫強如終身喜樂行善；
I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live;
並且人人吃喝，在他一切勞碌中享福，這也是神的恩賜。
also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil — this is God's gift to man.
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 perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people 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〔或作「並且神再尋回已過的事」〕。
That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been 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。
Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness.
我心裏說，神必審判義人和惡人；因為在那裏，各樣事務，一切工作，都有定時。
I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work.
我心裏說，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 my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but beasts.
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 what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity.
都歸一處，都是出於塵土，也都歸於塵土。
All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return.
誰知道人的靈是往上升，獸的魂是下入地呢？
Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth?
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 than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot. Who can bring him to see what will be after him?