凡事都有定期，天下各樣事務都有定時。
For everything there is a season,
And a time for every purpose 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 tear 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；擁抱有時，不擁抱有時；
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 throw away;
撕裂有時，縫補有時；靜默有時，說話有時；
A time to tear, and a time to sew;
A time to be silent, and a time to speak;
愛有時，恨有時；戰爭有時，和平有時。
A time to love, and a time to hate;
A time for war, and a time for peace.
這樣看來，作事的人在他的勞碌上有甚麼益處呢？
What profit does the worker have in all that he labors?
我見神將辛勞給世人，使他們在其中操勞。
I have seen the travail that God has given the children of men to travail in.
神造萬物，各按其時成為美好，又將永遠安置在世人心裏。
雖是這樣，人並不能參透神從始至終的作為。
He has made everything beautiful in its own time;
also He has put eternity in their heart,
yet so that man does not find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.
我知道人莫強如一生喜樂行善；
I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice
and do good in their lifetime;
並且人人喫喝，在他一切勞碌中享美福，這乃是神的恩賜。
Moreover, that every man should eat and drink and taste enjoyment in all his labor;
it is the gift of God.
我知道神一切所作的都必永存；無可增添，無可減少。神這樣行，是要人在祂面前敬畏祂。
I know that whatever God does, it will be forever; nothing can be added to it,
nor can anything be taken from it. God has so done, that all would fear 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。
That which is has already been, and that which will be has already been;
and God seeks what has passed.
（傳道書 Ecclesiastes - 第 三 章）
