《圣经·旧约全书·传道书》第三章第1-11节
凡事都有定期,天下万物都有定时:
生有时,死有时;
栽种有时,拔出所栽种的也有时;
杀戮有时,医治有时;
拆毁有时,建造有时;
哭有时,笑有时;
悲恸有时,跳舞有时;
抛掷石头有时,堆聚石头有时;
怀抱有时,不怀抱有时;
寻找有时,失落有时;
保守有时,舍弃有时;
撕裂有时,缝补有时;
静默有时,言语有时;
喜爱有时,恨恶有时;
争战有时,和好有时。
这样看来,作事的人在他的劳碌上有什么益处呢?
我见上帝叫世人劳苦,使他们在其中受经练。
神造万物,各按其时成为美好;又将永恒安置在世人心里。
然而上帝从始至终的作为,人不能参透。
Holy Bible, the Old Testament, the Book of Ecclesiastes (Ecc), Chapter 3, Verse 1-11
For everything there is a season, and a time for very purpose under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
atime to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to rend, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.
What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboreth?
I have seen the travail which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.
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