Ecclesiastes 3

1 To all things there is an appointed time, and a time to euery purpose vnder the heauen.

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

2 A time to bee borne, and a time to die: a time to plant, and a time to plucke vp that which is planted.

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

3 A time to slay, and a time to heale: a time to breake downe, and a time to builde.

a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build,

4 A time to weepe, and a time to laugh: a time to mourne, 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: a time to embrace, and a time to be farre 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 seeke, and a time to lose: a time to keepe, and a time to cast away.

a time to search and a time to count as lost, a time to keep and a time to discard,

7 A time to rent, and a time to sowe: a time to keepe silence, and a time to speake.

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

8 A time to loue, and a time to hate: a time of warre, 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 profite hath hee that worketh of the thing wherein he trauaileth?

What does the worker gain from his toil?

10 I haue seene the trauaile that God hath giuen to ye sonnes of men to humble them thereby.

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

11 He hath made euery thing beautifull in his time: also he hath set the worlde in their heart, yet can not man finde out the worke that God hath wrought from the beginning euen to the end.

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.

12 I know that there is nothing good in them, but to reioyce, and to doe good in his life.

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

13 And also that euery man eateth and drinketh, and seeth the commoditie of all his labour. this is the gift of God.

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

14 I knowe that whatsoeuer God shall doe, it shalbe for euer: to it can no man adde, and from it can none diminish: for God hath done it, that they should feare before him.

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.

15 What is that that hath bene? that is nowe: and that that shalbe, hath now bene: for God requireth that which is past.

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

16 And moreouer I haue seene vnder the sunne the place of iudgement, where was wickednesse, and the place of iustice where was iniquitie.

Furthermore, I saw under the sun that in the place of judgment there is wickedness, and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.

17 I thought in mine heart, God wil iudge the iust and the wicked: for time is there for euery purpose and for euery worke.

I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked, since there is a time for every activity and every deed.”

18 I considered in mine heart the state of the children of men that God had purged them: yet to see to, they are in themselues as beastes.

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.”

19 For the condition of the children of men, and the condition of beasts are euen as one condition vnto them. As the one dyeth, so dyeth the other: for they haue all one breath, and there is no excellency of man aboue ye beast: for all is vanitie.

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.

20 All goe to one place, and all was of the dust, and all shall returne to the dust.

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

21 Who knoweth whether the spirit of man ascend vpward, and the spirit of the beast descend downeward to the earth?

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

22 Therefore I see that there is nothing better then that a man shoulde reioyce in his affaires, because that is his portion. For who shall bring him to see what shalbe after him?

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?