Ecclesiastes 3

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

All things have their season, and in their times all things pass 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 pluck up that which is 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 destroy, 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 scatter stones, and a time to gather. A time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.

6 A time to seeke, and a time to lose: a time to keepe, and a time to cast away.

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

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

What hath man more of his labour?

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

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

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 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.

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

And I have known that there was no better thing than to rejoice, and to do well in this life.

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

For every man that eateth and drinketh, and seeth good of his labour, 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 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.

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

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

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 shall judge both the just and the wicked, and then shall be the time of every thing.

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 sons of men, that God would prove them, and shew them to be like 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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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 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?