Ecclesiastes 3

1 Omnia tempus habent, et suis spatiis transeunt universa sub caelo.

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

2 Tempus nascendi, et tempus moriendi. Tempus plantandi, et tempus evellendi quod plantatum est.

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

3 Tempus occidendi, et tempus sanandi: Tempus destruendi, et tempus aedificandi.

a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build up.

4 Tempus flendi, et tempus ridendi. Tempus plangendi, et tempus saltandi.

There is a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,

5 Tempus spargendi lapides, et tempus colligendi. Tempus amplexandi, et tempus longe fieri ab amplexibus.

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.

6 Tempus acquirendi, et tempus perdendi. Tempus custodiendi, et tempus abiiciendi.

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,

7 Tempus scindendi, et tempus consuendi. Tempus tacendi, et tempus loquendi.

a time to tear clothing and a time to repair clothing, a time to keep silent and a time to speak.

8 Tempus dilectionis, et tempus odii. Tempus belli, et tempus pacis.

There is a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

9 Quid habet amplius homo de labore suo?

What profit does the worker gain in his labor?

10 Vidi afflictionem, quam dedit Deus filiis hominum, ut distendantur in ea.

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

11 Cuncta fecit bona in tempore suo, et mundum tradidit disputationi eorum, ut non inveniat homo opus, quod operatus est Deus ab initio usque ad finem.

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.

12 Et cognovi quod non esset melius nisi laetari, et facere bene in vita sua.

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

13 Omnis enim homo, qui comedit et bibit, et videt bonum de labore suo, hoc donum Dei est.

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.

14 Didici quod omnia opera, quae fecit Deus, perseverent in perpetuum: non possumus eis quidquam addere, nec auferre, quae fecit Deus ut timeatur.

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.

15 Quod factum est, ipsum permanet: quae futura sunt, iam fuerunt: et Deus instaurat quod abiit.

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

16 Vidi sub sole in loco iudicii impietatem, et in loco iustitiae iniquitatem.

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

17 Et dixi in corde meo: Iustum, et impium iudicabit Deus, et tempus omnis rei tunc erit.

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

18 Dixi in corde meo de filiis hominum, ut probaret eos Deus, et ostenderet similes esse bestiis.

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

19 Idcirco unus interitus est hominis, et iumentorum, et aequa utriusque conditio: sicut moritur homo, sic et illa moriuntur: similiter spirant omnia, et nihil habet homo iumento amplius: cuncta subiacent vanitati,

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?

20 et omnia pergunt ad unum locum: de terra facta sunt, et in terram pariter revertuntur.

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

21 Quis novit si spiritus filiorum Adam ascendat sursum, et si spiritus iumentorum descendat deorsum?

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

22 Et deprehendi nihil esse melius quam laetari hominem in opere suo, et hanc esse partem illius. Quis enim eum adducet, ut post se futura cognoscat?

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?