Ecclesiastes 3

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

All things have their season, and in their times all things pass 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 destroy, and a time to build.

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 scatter stones, and a time to gather. A time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.

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 get, 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 of love, and a time of hatred. A time of war, and a time of peace.

9 What profit does the worker gain in his labor?

What hath man more of his labour?

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

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

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 all things good in their time, and hath delivered the world to their consideration, so that man cannot find out the work which God hath made from the beginning 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—

And I have known that there was no better thing than to rejoice, and to do well in this life.

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.

For every man that eateth and drinketh, and seeth good of his labour, this 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 have learned that all the works which God hath made, continue for ever: we cannot add any thing, nor take away from those things which God hath made that he may be feared.

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

That which hath been made, the same continueth: the things that shall be, have already been: and God restoreth that which is past.

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

I saw under the sun in the place of judgment wickedness, and in the place of justice iniquity.

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

And I said in my heart: God shall judge both the just and the wicked, and then shall be the time of every thing.

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

I said in my heart concerning the sons of men, that God would prove them, and shew them to be like 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?

Therefore the death of man, and of beasts is one, and the condition of them both is equal: as man dieth, so they also die: all things breathe alike, and man hath nothing more than beast: all things are subject to vanity.

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

And all things go to one place: of earth they were made, and into earth they return together.

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

Who knoweth if the spirit of the children of Adam ascend upward, and if the spirit of the beasts descend downward?

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?

And I have found that nothing is better than for a man to rejoice in his work, and that this is his portion. For who shall bring him to know the things that shall be after him?