1 万事都有定期， 天下万务都有定时：

2 生有时， 死有时； 栽种有时， 拔出所种的也有时；

3 杀戮有时， 医治有时； 拆毁有时， 建造有时；

4 哭有时， 笑有时； 哀恸有时， 踊跃有时；

5 拋掷石头有时， 堆聚石头有时； 拥抱有时， 避免拥抱有时；

6 寻找有时， 舍弃有时； 保存有时， 拋弃有时；

7 撕裂有时， 缝补有时； 静默有时， 讲话有时；

8 爱有时， 恨有时； 战争有时， 和平有时。

9 作工的人在自己的劳碌上得到什么益处呢？

10 我看 神给予世人的担子， 是要他们为此烦恼。

11 他使万事各按其时， 成为美好； 他又把永恒的意识放在人的心里； 虽然这样， 人还是不能察觉 神自始至终的作为。

12 我晓得人生最好是寻乐享福，

13 人人有吃有喝， 在自己的一切劳碌中自得其乐； 这就是 神的恩赐。

14 我知道 神所作的一切， 都必永存， 无可增添， 无可减少； 神这样作， 为要使人在他面前存敬畏的心。

15 现在有的， 先前就有； 将来有的， 早已有了； 因为 神使已过的事重新出现（" 神使已过的事重新出现"原文作" 神寻回已过的事"）。

16 我在日光之下又看见： 审判的地方有奸恶， 维护公义的地方也有奸恶。

17 我自己心里说： " 神必审判义人和恶人， 因为各样事务、各样工作都有定时。"

18 我自己心里说： "至于世人， 神要试验他们， 使他们看见自己与牲畜无异。

19 因为世人所遭遇的与牲畜所遭遇的， 都是一样： 这个怎样死， 那个也怎样死， 两者的气息都是一样， 所以人并不胜于牲畜。一切都是虚空。

20 大家都到一个地方去， 都出于尘土， 也都归回尘土。

21 有谁知道人的灵是往上升， 牲畜的魂（"魂"的原文与"灵"〔3:21〕和"气息"〔3:19〕相同）是下降而入地呢？"

22 因此我看人最好是在自己所作的事上自得其乐， 因为这也是他的分； 谁能使他看见他自己死后的事呢？

1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven: 2 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 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. 9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboreth? 10 I have seen the travail which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith. 11 He hath made everything beautiful in its time: also he hath set eternity in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to do good so long as they live. 13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God. 14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it; and God hath done it, that men should fear before him. 15 That which is hath been long ago; and that which is to be hath long ago been: and God seeketh again that which is passed away. 16 And 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. 17 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. 18 I said in my heart, It is because of the sons of men, that God may prove them, and that they may see that they themselves are but as beasts. 19 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; and man hath no preeminence above the beasts: for all is vanity. 20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. 21 Who knoweth the spirit of man, whether it goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast, whether it goeth downward to the earth? 22 Wherefore I saw that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him back to see what shall be after him?