Ecclesiastes 3

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

For, every thing, there is a season, —and a time for every pursuit, under the heavens: —

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 uproot what is 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 break 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 wail, and a time to dance for joy;

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 cast away stones, and a time to heap up stones, —A time to embrace, and a time to be far from loving embrace;

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 seek, and a time to give up as lost, —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 to love and a time to hate, —A time of war, and a time of peace.

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

What profit hath he that worketh, in that wherein, himself, hath toiled?

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

I looked at the employment which God hath given to the sons of men, to work therein:

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.

Everything, hath he made beautiful in its own time, —also, intelligence, hath he put in their heart, without which men could not find out the work which God hath wrought, from the beginning even unto 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.

I know that there is no blessedness in them, —save to be glad, and to do well with one’s 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.

Though indeed, that any man should eat and drink, and see blessedness, in all his toil, it is, the gift of God.

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 know, that, whatsoever God doeth, the same, shall be age-abiding, unto it, there is nothing to add, and, from it, there is nothing to take away, —and, God, hath done it, that men should stand in awe before him.

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.

That which was, already, had been, and, that which shall be, already, shall have been, —but, God, seeketh that which hath been chased 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.

Then, again, I saw under the sun, the place of justice, that there was lawlessness, and, the place of righteousness, that there was lawlessness.

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].

Said, I, in my heart, Both the righteous and the lawless, will God judge, —for [there will be] a time for every pursuit, and concerning every work—there.

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.

Said, I, in my heart, as concerning the sons of men, That God was minded to prove them, —and that they might see, that they were beasts, of themselves.

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, as regardeth the destiny of the sons of men and the destiny of beasts, one fate, have they, as dieth the one, so, dieth the other, and, one spirit, have they all, —and, the pre-eminence of man over beast, is nothing, for, all, were vanity:

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

all, go unto one place, —all, came from the dust, and all, return to the dust.

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 knoweth the spirit of the sons of men, whether it, ascendeth, above, —or the spirit of the beast, whether it, descendeth, below, to the earth?

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?

So I saw, that there was nothing better than that a man should be glad in his works, for, that, is his portion, —for who can bring him in, to look upon that which shall be after him?