Ecclesiastes 3

1 To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,

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,

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,

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,

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 search and a time to count as lost, a time to keep and a time to discard,

A time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,

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.

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

9 What does the worker gain from his toil?

What profit hath he that worketh in that he laboureth?

10 I have seen the burden that God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them.

I have seen the task which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.

11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom the work that God has done from beginning to end.

He hath made every thing beautiful in its time; also He hath set the world 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 do good while they live,

I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to get pleasure so long as they live.

13 and also that every man should eat and drink and find satisfaction in all his labor—this is the gift of God.

But also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy pleasure for all his labour, is the gift of God.

14 I know that everything God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God does it so that they should fear Him.

I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever; nothing can be added to it, nor any thing taken from it; and God hath so made it, that men should fear before Him.

15 What exists has already been, and what will be has already been, for God will call to account what has passed.

That which is hath been long ago, and that which is to be hath already been; and God seeketh that which is pursued.

16 Furthermore, I saw under the sun that in the place of judgment there is wickedness, and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.

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, since there is a time for every activity and every deed.”

I said in my heart: 'The righteous and the wicked God will judge; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.'

18 I said to myself, “As for the sons of men, God tests them so that they may see for themselves that they are but beasts.”

I said in my heart: 'It is because of the sons of men, that God may sift them, and that they may see that they themselves are but as beasts.'

19 For the fates of both men and beasts are the same: As one dies, so dies the other—they all have the same breath. Man has no advantage over the animals, since everything is futile.

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; so that man hath no pre-eminence above a beast; for all is vanity.

20 All go to one place; all come from dust, and all return to dust.

All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all return to dust.

21 Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and the spirit of the animal descends into the earth?

Who knoweth the spirit of man whether it goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast whether it goeth downward to the earth?

22 I have seen that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will come after him?

Wherefore I perceived that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion; for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?