Ecclesiastes 3

1 To all things there is a time, and a season for every matter under heaven.

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

2 A time of birth, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what has been planted;

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 pull down, and a time to build up;

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 lament, 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 throw stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to abstain 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 seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

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

7 a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to be silent, and a time to speak;

a time to tear, 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 of war, and a time of peace.

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

9 What advantage [has] he that works in those things wherein he labours?

What profit has he who works in that in which he labors?

10 I have seen all the trouble, which God has given to the sons of men to be troubled with.

I have seen the burden which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.

11 All the things which he has made are beautiful in his time: he has also set the whole world in their heart, that man might not find out the work which God has wrought from the beginning even to the end.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts, yet so that man can’t find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end.

12 I know that there is no good in them, except [for a man] to rejoice, and to do good in his life.

I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live.

13 Also [in the case of] every man who shall eat and drink, and see good in all his labour, [this] is a gift of God.

Also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God.

14 I know that whatever things God has done, they shall be for ever: it is impossible to add to it, and it is impossible to take away from it: and God has done [it], that [men] may fear before him.

I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; and God has done it, that men should fear before him.

15 That which has been is now; and whatever things [are appointed] to be have already been; and God will seek out that which is past.

That which is has been long ago, and that which is to be has been long ago. God seeks again that which is passed away.

16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgement, there was the ungodly one; and the place of righteousness, there was the godly one.

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 And I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the ungodly: for there is a time there for every action and for every work.

I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”

18 I said in my heart, concerning the speech of the sons of man, God will judge them, and that to show that they are breasts.

I said in my heart, “As for the sons of men, God tests them, so that they may see that they themselves are like animals.

19 Also to them is the event of the sons of man, and the event of the brute; one event befalls them: as is the death of the one, so also the death of the other; and there is one breath to all: and what has the man more than the brute? nothing; for all is vanity.

For that which happens to the sons of men happens to animals. Even one thing happens to them. As the one dies, so the other dies. Yes, they have all one breath; and man has no advantage over the animals, for all is vanity.

20 All [go] to one place; all were formed of the dust, and all will return to dust.

All go to one place. All are from the dust, and all turn to dust again.

21 And who has seen the spirit of the sons of man, whether it goes upward? and the spirit of the beast, whether it goes downward to the earth?

Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes downward to the earth?”

22 And I saw that there was no good, but that wherein a man shall rejoice in his works, for it is his portion, for who shall bring him to see any thing of that which shall be after him?

Therefore I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his works, for that is his portion; for who can bring him to see what will be after him?