Ecclesiastes 3

¹For every thing there is a fixed period, and an appointed time to every thing under heaven:—

²A time to be born, and a time to die. A time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted.

³A time to kill, and a time to heal. A time to breaking down, and a time to build up.

⁴A time to weep, and a time to laugh. A time to mourn, and a time to dance.

⁵A time to cast stones asunder, and a time to gather stones together. A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.

⁶A time to seek, and a time to lose. A time to keep, and a time to cast away.

⁷A time to rend, and a time to sew. A time to keep silence, and a time to speak.

⁸A time to love, and a time to hate. A time of war, and a time of peace.—

⁹What profit hath he who laboreth from that with which he wearieth himself?

¹⁰I have seen the business which God hath given to the sons of men to exercise themselves therewith.

¹¹God maketh every thing good in its time; but he hath put the world into the heart of man, so that he understandeth not the work which God doeth, from the beginning to the end.

¹²I know that there is nothing better for a man than that he should rejoice and enjoy good his life long.

¹³But when a man eateth and drinketh, and enjoyeth good through all his labor, this is the gift of God.

¹⁴I know that whatever God doeth, that shall be for ever. Nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken from it; and God doeth it that men may fear before him.

¹⁵That which is, was long ago; and that which is to be, hath already been; and God recalleth that which is past.

¹⁶Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice there was iniquity; and in the place of righteousness, iniquity.

¹⁷Then said I in my heart, "God will judge the righteous and the wicked." For there shall be a time for every matter and for every work.

¹⁸I said in my heart concerning the sons of men, that God will prove them, in order that they may see that they are like the beasts.

¹⁹For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts: one lot befalleth both. As the one dieth, so dieth the other. Yea, there is one spirit in them, and a man hath no pre-eminence above a beast; for all is vanity.

²⁰All go to one place; all are from the dust, and all turn to dust again.

²¹Who knoweth the spirit of man, whether it goeth upward, and the spirit of a beast, whether it goeth downward to the earth?

²²And so I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his labors; for that is his portion. For who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

Ecclesiastes 3

¹To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

²A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

³A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

⁴A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

⁵A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

⁶A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

⁷A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

⁸A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

⁹What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?

¹⁰I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.

¹¹He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

¹²I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.

¹³And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

¹⁴I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.

¹⁵That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.

¹⁶And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.

¹⁷I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

¹⁸I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

¹⁹For 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 a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.

²⁰All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

²¹Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

²²Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?