Ecclesiastes 3

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

For every thing there is a season; and a [proper] time is 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 pull up plants,

[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;

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 throw away stones, and a time to gather up stones; a time to embrace, and a time to be far 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 let things be lost; a time to keep, and a time to throw 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 of war, and a time of peace.

9 What profit does the worker gain in his labor?

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

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

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

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.

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 good [inherent] in them, but for every one to rejoice and to do what is good during [all] his 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 also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy what is good for all his toil, is likewise a 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 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.

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

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.

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 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.

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 for every pursuit; and on account of every deed there [will he judge].

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 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.

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 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.

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

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

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 the sons of man that ascendeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that descendeth 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?

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?