Ecclesiastes 3

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

For every thing there is a fixed period, and an appointed time to every thing under 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 what 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 breaking 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 stones asunder, 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 of war, and a time of peace.—

9 What does the worker gain from his toil?

What profit hath he who laboreth from that with which he wearieth himself?

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

I have seen the business which God hath given to the sons of men to exercise themselves 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.

God maketh every thing good in its time; but he hath put the world into the heart of man, so that he understandeth not the work which God doeth, from the beginning 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 a man than that he should rejoice and enjoy good his life long.

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

But when a man eateth and drinketh, and enjoyeth good through all his labor, this 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 whatever God doeth, that shall be for ever. Nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken from it; and God doeth it that men may 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, was long ago; and that which is to be, hath already been; and God recalleth that which is past.

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.

Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice there was iniquity; and in the place of righteousness, iniquity.

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.”

Then said I in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked.” For there shall be a time for every matter 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 concerning the sons of men, that God will prove them, in order that they may see that they are like the 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: one lot befalleth both. As the one dieth, so dieth the other. Yea, there is one spirit in them, and a 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 to one place; all are from the dust, and all turn to dust again.

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 a 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?

And so I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his labors; for that is his portion. For who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?