Ecclesiastes 3

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

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heavens:

2 A time to be born, and a time to die, —A time to plant, and a time to uproot what 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 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 wail, and a time to dance for joy;

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

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 seek, and a time to give up as lost, —A time to keep, 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 rend, and a time to sew, —A time to be silent, and a time to speak;

A time to rend, and a time to sew; A time to keep silence, 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 he that worketh, in that wherein, himself, hath toiled?

What profit hath he that worketh from that wherein he laboureth?

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

I have seen the travail that God hath given to the sons of men to toil in.

11 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.

He hath made everything beautiful in its time; also he hath set the world in their heart, so that man findeth not out from the beginning to the end the work that God doeth.

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

I know that there is nothing good for them but to rejoice and to do well in their life;

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

yea also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labour, it is the gift of God.

14 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.

I know that whatever God doeth, it shall be for ever; there is nothing to be added to it, nor anything to be taken from it; and God doeth [it], that [men] should fear before him.

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

That which is was long ago, and that which is to be hath already been; and God bringeth back again that which is past.

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

And moreover I saw under the sun, that in the place of judgment, wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, wickedness was there.

17 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.

I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

18 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.

I said in my heart, It is thus with the children of men, that God may prove them, and that they should see that they themselves are but beasts.

19 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:

For what befalleth the children of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other, and they have all one breath; and man hath no pre-eminence above the beast: for all is vanity.

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

All go unto one place: all are of the dust, and all return to dust.

21 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?

Who knoweth the spirit of the children of men? Doth it go upwards? and the spirit of the beasts, doth it go downwards to the earth?

22 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?

And I have seen that there is nothing better than that man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion; for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?