Ecclesiastes 3
1 For everything there is a fixed time, and a time for every business under the sun.
For every thing there is a season; and a [proper] time is for every pursuit under the heavens.
2 A time for birth and a time for death; a time for planting and a time for uprooting;
[There is] a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what hath been planted;
3 A time to put to death and a time to make well; a time for pulling down and a time for building up;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time for weeping and a time for laughing; a time for sorrow and a time for dancing;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 A time to take stones away and a time to get stones together; a time for kissing and a time to keep from kissing;
A time to throw away stones, and a time to gather up stones; a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embracing;
6 A time for search and a time for loss; a time to keep and a time to give away;
A time to seek, and a time to let things be lost; a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
7 A time for undoing and a time for stitching; a time for keeping quiet and a time for talk;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time for love and a time for 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 profit has the worker in the work which he does?
What profit hath [now] he that worketh in that wherein he toileth?
10 I saw the work which God has put on the sons of man.
I have seen the employment, which God hath given to the sons of men to busy themselves therewith.
11 He has made everything right in its time; but he has made their hearts without knowledge, so that man is unable to see the works of God, from the first to the last.
Every thing hath he made beautiful in its [proper] time: he hath also placed the eternity in their heart, without a man's being able to find out the work that God hath made from the beginning to the end.
12 I am certain that there is nothing better for a man than to be glad, and to do good while life is in him.
I know that there is nothing good [inherent] in them, but for every one to rejoice and to do what is good during [all] his life.
13 And for every man to take food and drink, and have joy in all his work, is a reward from God.
For also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy what is good for all his toil, is likewise a gift of God.
14 I am certain that whatever God does will be for ever. No addition may be made to it, nothing may be taken from it; and God has done it so that man may be in fear before him.
I know that whatsoever God doth, that will be for ever; to it nothing can be added, and from it there is nothing to be diminished: and God hath so made it, that men should be afraid of him.
15 Whatever is has been before, and what is to be is now; because God makes search for the things which are past.
That which hath been hath long since appeared [again]; and what is to be hath already been; and God seeketh [again] that which is sped away.
16 And again, I saw under the sun, in the place of the judges, that evil was there; and in the place of righteousness, that evil was there.
And moreover I have seen under the sun, [that in] the place of justice, even there was wickedness; and [that in] the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness.
17 I said in my heart, God will be judge of the good and of the bad; because a time for every purpose and for every work has been fixed by him.
I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time for every pursuit; and on account of every deed there [will he judge].
18 I said in my heart, It is because of the sons of men, so that God may put them to the test and that they may see themselves as beasts.
I said in my heart concerning the speaking of the sons of men, that God might make it clear to them, and that they might see that they by themselves are but beasts.
19 Because the fate of the sons of men and the fate of the beasts is the same. As is the death of one so is the death of the other, and all have one spirit. Man is not higher than the beasts; because all is to no purpose.
For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even the same thing befalleth them; as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one kind of spirit: so that the preeminence of man above the beast is nought; for all is vanity.
20 All go to one place, all are of the dust, and all will be turned to dust again.
Every thing goeth unto one place: every thing came from the dust, and every thing returneth to the dust.
21 Who is certain that the spirit of the sons of men goes up to heaven, or that the spirit of the beasts goes down to the earth?
Who knoweth the spirit of the sons of man that ascendeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that descendeth downward to the earth?
22 So I saw that there is nothing better than for a man to have joy in his work — because that is his reward. Who will make him see what will come after him?
And so did I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion; for who can bring him to look with pleasure on what will be after him?
