Ecclesiastes 3

1 For every thing there is a season; and a [proper] time is for every pursuit under the heavens.

All things have their time, and all things under heaven continue during their interval.

2 [There is] a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what hath been planted;

A time to be born, and a time to die. A time to plant, and a time to pull up what was planted.

3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to kill, and a time to heal. A time to tear 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 throw away stones, and a time to gather up stones; a time to embrace, and a time to be far 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 seek, and a time to let things be lost; a time to keep, and a time to throw away;

A time to gain, 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 be silent, 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 of love, and a time of hatred. A time of war, and a time of peace.

9 What profit hath [now] he that worketh in that wherein he toileth?

What more does a man have from his labor?

10 I have seen the employment, which God hath given to the sons of men to busy themselves therewith.

I have seen the affliction that God has given to the sons of men, in order that they may be occupied by it.

11 Every thing hath he made beautiful in its [proper] time: he hath also placed the eternity in their heart, without a man's being able to find out the work that God hath made from the beginning to the end.

He has made all things good in their time, and he has handed over the world to their disputes, so that man may not discover the work which God made from the beginning, even until the end.

12 I know that there is nothing good [inherent] in them, but for every one to rejoice and to do what is good during [all] his life.

And I realize that there is nothing better than to rejoice, and to do well in this life.

13 For also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy what is good for all his toil, is likewise a gift of God.

For this is a gift from God: when each man eats and drinks, and sees the good results of his labor.

14 I know that whatsoever God doth, that will be for ever; to it nothing can be added, and from it there is nothing to be diminished: and God hath so made it, that men should be afraid of him.

I have learned that all the works which God has made continue on, in perpetuity. We are not able to add anything, nor to take anything away, from those things which God has made in order that he may be feared.

15 That which hath been hath long since appeared [again]; and what is to be hath already been; and God seeketh [again] that which is sped away.

What has been made, the same continues. What is in the future, has already existed. And God restores what has passed away.

16 And moreover I have seen under the sun, [that in] the place of justice, even there was wickedness; and [that in] the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness.

I saw under the sun: instead of judgment, impiety, and instead of justice, iniquity.

17 I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time for every pursuit; and on account of every deed there [will he judge].

And I said in my heart: “God will judge the just and the impious, and then the time for each matter shall be.”

18 I said in my heart concerning the speaking of the sons of men, that God might make it clear to them, and that they might see that they by themselves are but beasts.

I said in my heart, about the sons of men, that God would test them, and reveal them to be like wild animals.

19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even the same thing befalleth them; as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one kind of spirit: so that the preeminence of man above the beast is nought; for all is vanity.

For this reason, the passing away of man and of beasts is one, and the condition of both is equal. For as a man dies, so also do they die. All things breathe similarly, and man has nothing more than beast; for all these are subject to vanity.

20 Every thing goeth unto one place: every thing came from the dust, and every thing returneth to the dust.

And all things continue on to one place; for from the earth they were made, and unto the earth they shall return together.

21 Who knoweth the spirit of the sons of man that ascendeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that descendeth downward to the earth?

Who knows if the spirit of the sons of Adam ascend upward, and if the spirit of the beasts descend downward?

22 And so did I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion; for who can bring him to look with pleasure on what will be after him?

And I have discovered nothing to be better than for a man to rejoice in his work: for this is his portion. And who shall add to him, so that he may know the things that will occur after him?