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To every thing there is a zeman (time), and an et (season) for every matter under Shomayim;

An et (season) to be born, and an et (season) to die; an et (season) to plant, and an et (season) to uproot that which is planted;

An et (season) to kill, and an et (season) to heal; an et (season) to tear down, and an et (season) to build up;

An et (season) to weep, and an et (season) to laugh; an et (season) to mourn, and an et (season) to dance;

An et (season) to throw stones away, and an et (season) to gather stones together; an et (season) to embrace, and an et (season) to refrain from embracing;

An et (season) to look for, and an et (season) to lose; an et (season) to keep, and an et (season) to throw away;

An et (season) to tear, and an et (season) to mend; an et (season) to keep silent, and an et (season) to speak;

An et (season) to love, and an et (season) to hate; an et (season) of milchamah, and an et (season) of shalom.

What profit hath the worker from his amal (labor)?

10 I have seen the occupation, which Elohim hath given to the bnei HaAdam to keep them occupied.

11 Hashem hath made every thing yafeh in its et (season); also He hath set HaOlam in their lev, yet so that no adam can find out the ma’aseh that HaElohim hath done from the beginning to the end.

12 I have da’as that there is nothing better for adam, than that they have simchah and do tov while they live.

13 And also that kol haAdam should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his amal. This is a gift of Elohim.

14 I have da’as that, all that HaElohim doeth will endure l’olam; nothing can be added to it, nor any thing taken from it; HaElohim doeth it, that men should fear before Him.

15 That which is hath been already; and that which is to be hath already been; and HaElohim will call that which is past to account.

16 And moreover I saw under the shemesh that in the Mekom Mishpat (place of judgment) resha (wickedness) was there; and in the Mekom Tzedek, resha (wickedness) was there.

17 I said in mine lev, HaElohim shall judge the tzaddik and the resha (wicked); for an et (season) for every matter and for every ma’aseh is there.

18 I said in mine lev, As for bnei haAdam, HaElohim tests them, that they might see that they themselves are like beheimah.

19 For bnei haAdam and beheimah share one and same mikreh (fortune); as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that the adam hath no advantage above the beheimah; for all is hevel.

20 All go unto mekom echad; all are of the afahr (dust), and all return to the afahr again.

21 Who hath da’as of the ruach bnei haAdam that goeth upward, and the ruach habeheimah that goeth downward to ha’aretz [see 12:7]?

22 Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better than that the adam find simchah in his ma’asim; for that is his chelek; for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

萬物有時

天下萬物都有定期,
凡事都有定時。
出生有時,死亡有時;
耕種有時,拔出有時;
殺戮有時,醫治有時;
拆毀有時,建造有時;
哭泣有時,歡笑有時;
哀傷有時,雀躍有時;
拋石有時,堆石有時[a]
擁抱有時,避開有時;
尋找有時,遺失有時;
保存有時,丟棄有時;
撕裂有時,縫合有時;
沉默有時,發言有時;
愛慕有時,憎惡有時;
爭戰有時,和好有時。

那麼,人勞碌做工有什麼益處呢? 10 我察覺上帝給世人重擔,使他們忙碌不休。 11 祂使萬事各按其時變得美好,又把永恆的意識放在人心裡,人卻不能測透上帝從始至終的作為。 12 我認識到,人生在世沒有什麼比歡樂、享受更好。 13 人人都該吃喝、享受自己勞苦的成果,這是上帝的恩賜。 14 我知道,上帝所做的都會存到永遠,誰也不能增減。祂這樣安排是叫人敬畏祂。 15 現在的事並不是新事,未來的事也早已發生過。上帝使過去的事再次出現。

世間的不公

16 我又看到日光之下,即使在公道和正義之地也有邪惡。 17 我心裡想:「不論義人或惡人,上帝必審判,因為萬事萬務都有受審之時。」 18 我又想:「至於世人,上帝試驗他們,是要他們知道自己與獸類無異。 19 因為人和獸的際遇並無分別,兩者都難逃一死,活著都靠一口氣。人並不比獸強,一切都是虛空。 20 兩者都同歸一處,出於塵土,也歸於塵土。 21 誰知道人的氣息[b]會向上升,獸的氣息會降到地下呢?」 22 因此,我覺得沒有什麼比人享受工作之樂更好,因為這是人當得的。人死後,誰能使他看到世間的事呢?

Footnotes

  1. 3·5 拋石有時,堆石有時」意義不明,有猶太拉比說是「同房有時,分房有時」。
  2. 3·21 氣息」或譯「靈」,本節同。