Ecclesiastes 3
1 Alle thingis han tyme, and alle thingis vndur sunne passen bi her spaces.
To all things there is an appointed time, and a time to euery purpose vnder the heauen.
2 Tyme of birthe, and time of diyng; tyme to plaunte, and tyme to drawe vp that that is plauntid.
A time to bee borne, and a time to die: a time to plant, and a time to plucke vp that which is planted.
3 Tyme to sle, and tyme to make hool; tyme to distrie, and tyme to bilde.
A time to slay, and a time to heale: a time to breake downe, and a time to builde.
4 Tyme to wepe, and tyme to leiye; tyme to biweile, and tyme to daunse.
A time to weepe, and a time to laugh: a time to mourne, and a time to dance.
5 Tyme to scatere stoonys, and tyme to gadere togidere; tyme to colle, and tyme to be fer fro collyngis.
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones: a time to embrace, and a time to be farre from embracing.
6 Tyme to wynne, and tyme to leese; tyme to kepe, and tyme to caste awei.
A time to seeke, and a time to lose: a time to keepe, and a time to cast away.
7 Tyme to kitte, and tyme to sewe togidere; tyme to be stille, and tyme to speke.
A time to rent, and a time to sowe: a time to keepe silence, and a time to speake.
8 Tyme of loue, and tyme of hatrede; tyme of batel, and tyme of pees.
A time to loue, and a time to hate: a time of warre, and a time of peace.
9 What hath a man more of his trauel?
What profite hath hee that worketh of the thing wherein he trauaileth?
10 I siy the turment, which God yaf to the sones of men, that thei be occupied therynne.
I haue seene the trauaile that God hath giuen to ye sonnes of men to humble them thereby.
11 God made alle thingis good in her tyme, and yaf the world to disputyng of hem, that a man fynde not the werk which God hath wrouyt fro the bigynnyng `til in to the ende.
He hath made euery thing beautifull in his time: also he hath set the worlde in their heart, yet can not man finde out the worke that God hath wrought from the beginning euen to the end.
12 And Y knew that no thing was betere `to a man, `no but to be glad, and to do good werkis in his lijf.
I know that there is nothing good in them, but to reioyce, and to doe good in his life.
13 For whi ech man that etith and drinkith, and seeth good of his trauel; this is the yifte of God.
And also that euery man eateth and drinketh, and seeth the commoditie of all his labour. this is the gift of God.
14 I haue lerned that alle werkis, whiche God made, lasten stidfastli `til in to with outen ende; we moun not adde ony thing to tho, nether take awei fro tho thingis, whiche God made, that he be dred.
I knowe that whatsoeuer God shall doe, it shalbe for euer: to it can no man adde, and from it can none diminish: for God hath done it, that they should feare before him.
15 That thing that is maad, dwellith perfitli; tho thingis that schulen come, weren bifore; and God restorith that, that is goon.
What is that that hath bene? that is nowe: and that that shalbe, hath now bene: for God requireth that which is past.
16 I siy vndur sunne vnfeithfulnesse in the place of doom; and wickidnesse in the place of riytfulnesse.
And moreouer I haue seene vnder the sunne the place of iudgement, where was wickednesse, and the place of iustice where was iniquitie.
17 And Y seide in myn herte, The Lord schal deme a iust man, and an vnfeithful man; and the tyme of ech thing schal be thanne.
I thought in mine heart, God wil iudge the iust and the wicked: for time is there for euery purpose and for euery worke.
18 I seide in myn herte of the sones of men, that God schulde preue hem, and schewe that thei ben lijk vnresonable beestis.
I considered in mine heart the state of the children of men that God had purged them: yet to see to, they are in themselues as beastes.
19 Therfor oon is the perisching of man and of beestis, and euene condicioun is of euer eithir; as a man dieth, `so and tho beestis dien; alle beestis brethen in lijk maner, and a man hath no thing more than a beeste.
For the condition of the children of men, and the condition of beasts are euen as one condition vnto them. As the one dyeth, so dyeth the other: for they haue all one breath, and there is no excellency of man aboue ye beast: for all is vanitie.
20 Alle thingis ben suget to vanyte, and alle thingis goen to o place; tho ben maad of erthe, and tho turnen ayen togidere in to erthe.
All goe to one place, and all was of the dust, and all shall returne to the dust.
21 Who knowith, if the spirit of the sones of Adam stieth vpward, and if the spirit of beestis goith dounward?
Who knoweth whether the spirit of man ascend vpward, and the spirit of the beast descend downeward to the earth?
22 And Y perseyuede that no thing is betere, than that a man be glad in his werk, and that this be his part; for who schal brynge hym, that he knowe thingis that schulen come after hym?
Therefore I see that there is nothing better then that a man shoulde reioyce in his affaires, because that is his portion. For who shall bring him to see what shalbe after him?
