Ecclesiastes 3

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

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

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 get, 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 has he that works in that wherein he labors?

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

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

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 has made every thing beautiful in his time: also he has set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God makes from the beginning to the end.

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 no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.

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

And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labor, 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 does, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God does 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 has been is now; and that which is to be has already been; and God requires 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 the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity 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 shall 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 concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are 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 that which befalls the sons of men befalls beasts; even one thing befalls them: as the one dies, so dies the other; yes, they have all one breath; so that a man has no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.

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

All go to one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

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 knows the spirit of man that goes upward, and the spirit of the beast that goes downward 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?

Why I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?