Ecclesiastes 3
1 Alle thingis han tyme, and alle thingis vndur sunne passen bi her spaces.
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2 Tyme of birthe, and time of diyng; tyme to plaunte, and tyme to drawe vp that that is plauntid.
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 Tyme to sle, and tyme to make hool; tyme to distrie, and tyme to bilde.
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 Tyme to wepe, and tyme to leiye; tyme to biweile, and tyme to daunse.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, 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 together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 Tyme to wynne, and tyme to leese; tyme to kepe, and tyme to caste awei.
A time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, 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 rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 Tyme of loue, and tyme of hatrede; tyme of batel, and tyme of pees.
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.
9 What hath a man more of his trauel?
What profit hath he that worketh in that he laboureth?
10 I siy the turment, which God yaf to the sones of men, that thei be occupied therynne.
I have seen the task which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.
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 every thing beautiful in its time; also He hath set the world in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even 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 better for them, than to rejoice, and to get pleasure so long as they live.
13 For whi ech man that etith and drinkith, and seeth good of his trauel; this is the yifte of God.
But also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy pleasure for all his labour, 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 know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever; nothing can be added to it, nor any thing taken from it; and God hath so made it, that men should fear before Him.
15 That thing that is maad, dwellith perfitli; tho thingis that schulen come, weren bifore; and God restorith that, that is goon.
That which is hath been long ago, and that which is to be hath already been; and God seeketh that which is pursued.
16 I siy vndur sunne vnfeithfulnesse in the place of doom; and wickidnesse in the place of riytfulnesse.
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 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 said in my heart: 'The righteous and the wicked God will judge; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.'
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 said in my heart: 'It is because of the sons of men, that God may sift them, and that they may see that they themselves are but as beasts.'
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 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; so that man hath no pre-eminence above a beast; for all is vanity.
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 go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all return to dust.
21 Who knowith, if the spirit of the sones of Adam stieth vpward, and if the spirit of beestis goith dounward?
Who knoweth the spirit of man whether it goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast whether it goeth downward 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?
Wherefore I perceived that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion; for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
