Ecclesiastes 3

1 All things have their season, and in their times all things pass 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 pluck up that which is planted.

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 destroy, 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 scatter stones, and a time to gather. A time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.

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 get, 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 keep silence, 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 of love, and a time of hatred. A time of war, and a time of peace.

A time to love, and a time to hate. A time of war, and a time of peace.—

9 What hath man more of his labour?

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

10 I have seen the trouble, which God hath given the sons of men to be exercised in it.

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

11 He hath made all things good in their time, and hath delivered the world to their consideration, so that man cannot find out the work which God hath made from the beginning to the 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 And I have known that there was no better thing than to rejoice, and to do well in this life.

I know that there is nothing better for a man than that he should rejoice and enjoy good his life long.

13 For every man that eateth and drinketh, and seeth good of his labour, 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 have learned that all the works which God hath made, continue for ever: we cannot add any thing, nor take away from those things which God hath made that he may be feared.

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 That which hath been made, the same continueth: the things that shall be, have already been: and God restoreth that which is past.

That which is, was long ago; and that which is to be, hath already been; and God recalleth that which is past.

16 I saw under the sun in the place of judgment wickedness, and in the place of justice iniquity.

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

17 And I said in my heart: God shall judge both the just and the wicked, and then shall be the time of every thing.

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 in my heart concerning the sons of men, that God would prove them, and shew them to be like 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 Therefore the death of man, and of beasts is one, and the condition of them both is equal: as man dieth, so they also die: all things breathe alike, and man hath nothing more than beast: all things are subject to vanity.

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 And all things go to one place: of earth they were made, and into earth they return together.

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

21 Who knoweth if the spirit of the children of Adam ascend upward, and if the spirit of the beasts descend downward?

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

22 And I have found that nothing is better than for a man to rejoice in his work, and that this is his portion. For who shall bring him to know the things that shall be 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?