Ecclesiastes 3

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

To all things there is a time, and a season for every matter 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 of birth, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what has been planted;

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 pull down, and a time to build up;

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

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

a time to rend, and a time to sew; 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 of war, and a time of peace.

9 What profite hath hee that worketh of the thing wherein he trauaileth?

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

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

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

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.

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.

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 no good in them, except [for a man] to rejoice, and to do good in his life.

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

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.

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 whatsoever 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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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 were formed of the dust, and all will return to dust.

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

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?

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?

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?