Ecclesiastes 3

1 For everything there is an appointed time, and a season for every purpose under heaven.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:

2 There is a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to pull up plants,

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 tear 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 There is 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 stones, a time to embrace other people, and a time to refrain from embracing.

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 There is a time to look for things and a time to stop looking, a time to keep things and a time to throw away things,

a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

7 a time to tear clothing and a time to repair clothing, a time to keep 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 There is a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

9 What profit does the worker gain in his labor?

What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboreth?

10 I have seen the work that God has given to human beings to complete.

I have seen the travail which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.

11 God has made everything suitable for its own time. He has also placed eternity in their hearts. But mankind cannot understand the deeds that God has done, from their beginning all the way to their end.

He hath made everything beautiful in its time: also he hath set eternity in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end.

12 I know that there is nothing better for anyone than to rejoice and to do good so long as he lives—

I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to do good so long as they live.

13 and that everyone should eat and drink, and should understand how to enjoy the good that comes from all his work. This is a gift from God.

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

14 I know that whatever God does lasts forever. Nothing can be added to it or taken away, because it is God who has done it so that people will approach him with honor.

I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it; and God hath done it, that men should fear before him.

15 Whatever exists has already existed; whatever will exist has already existed. God makes human beings seek hidden things.

That which is hath been long ago; and that which is to be hath long ago been: and God seeketh again that which is passed away.

16 I have seen the wickedness that is under the sun, where there should be justice, and in place of righteousness, wickedness was there.

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

17 I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked at the right time for every matter and every deed.”

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 I said in my heart, “God tests human beings to show them that they are like animals.”

I said in my heart, [It is] because of the sons of men, that God may prove them, and that they may see that they themselves are [but as] beasts.

19 For the fate of the children of mankind and the fate of animals is the same fate for them. The death of one is like the death of the other. The breath is the same for all of them. There is no advantage for mankind over the animals. For is not everything just a breath?

For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; and man hath no preeminence above the beasts: for all is vanity.

20 Everything is going to the same place. Everything comes from the dust, and everything returns to the dust.

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

21 Who knows whether the spirit of mankind goes upward and the spirit of animals goes downward into the earth?

Who knoweth the spirit of man, whether it goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast, whether it goeth downward to the earth?

22 So again I realized that there is nothing better for anyone than to take pleasure in his work, for that is his assignment. Who can bring him back to see what happens after him?

Wherefore I saw that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him [back] to see what shall be after him?