Ecclesiastes 3

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

For everything there is an appointed time, and a season for every purpose under heaven.

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

There is a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to pull up plants,

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 tear 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,

There is 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 throw away stones and a time to gather stones, a time to embrace other people, 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,

There is a time to look for things and a time to stop looking, a time to keep things and a time to throw away things,

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

a time to tear clothing and a time to repair clothing, a time to keep silent and a time to speak.

8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

There is 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 does the worker gain in his labor?

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

I have seen the work that God has given to human beings to complete.

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 has made everything suitable for its own time. He has also placed eternity in their hearts. But mankind cannot understand the deeds that God has done, from their beginning all the way to their 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 anyone than to rejoice and to do good so long as he lives—

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

and that everyone should eat and drink, and should understand how to enjoy the good that comes from all his work. This is a gift from 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 does lasts forever. Nothing can be added to it or taken away, because it is God who has done it so that people will approach him with honor.

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

Whatever exists has already existed; whatever will exist has already existed. God makes human beings seek hidden things.

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.

I have seen the wickedness that is under the sun, where there should be justice, and in place of righteousness, 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, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked at the right time for every matter and every deed.”

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, “God tests human beings to show them that they are like animals.”

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 the fate of the children of mankind and the fate of animals is the same fate for them. The death of one is like the death of the other. The breath is the same for all of them. There is no advantage for mankind over the animals. For is not everything just a breath?

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

Everything is going to the same place. Everything comes from the dust, and everything returns to the dust.

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

Who knows whether the spirit of mankind goes upward and the spirit of animals goes downward into 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?

So again I realized that there is nothing better for anyone than to take pleasure in his work, for that is his assignment. Who can bring him back to see what happens after him?