Ecclesiastes — Chapter 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?

1For everything there is a season, and a time for very purpose under 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 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 for war, and a time for peace.

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

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

11He hath made everything beautiful in its time: also he hath set eternity in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end.

12I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to do good so long as they live.

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

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

15That which is hath been long ago; and that which is to be hath long ago been: and God seeketh again that which is passed away.

16And 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.

17I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

18I said in my heart, [It is] because of the sons of men, that God may prove them, and that they may see that they themselves are [but as] 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; and man hath no preeminence above the beasts: 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, whether it goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast, whether it goeth downward to the earth?

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

1For everything there is an appointed time, and an appropriate time for every activity on earth:

2A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot what was 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 throw away stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

6a time to search, and a time to give something up as lost; a time to keep, and a time to throw away;

7a time to rip, and a time to sew; a time to keep silent, and a time to speak.

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

9What benefit can a worker gain from his toil?

10I have observed the burden that God has given to people to keep them occupied.

11God has made everything fit beautifully in its appropriate time, but he has also placed ignorance in the human heart so that people cannot discover what God has ordained, from the beginning to the end of their lives.

12I have concluded that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to enjoy themselves as long as they live,

13and also that everyone should eat and drink, and find enjoyment in all his toil, for these things are a gift from God.

14I also know that whatever God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken away from it. God has made it this way, so that men will fear him.

15Whatever exists now has already been, and whatever will be has already been; for God will seek to do again what has occurred in the past.

16I saw something else on earth: In the place of justice, there was wickedness, and in the place of fairness, there was wickedness.

17I thought to myself, “God will judge both the righteous and the wicked; for there is an appropriate time for every activity, and there is a time of judgment for every deed.”

18I also thought to myself, “It is for the sake of people, so God can clearly show them that they are like animals.

19For the fate of humans and the fate of animals are the same: As one dies, so dies the other; both have the same breath. There is no advantage for humans over animals, for both are fleeting.

20Both go to the same place; both come from the dust, and to dust both return.

21Who really knows if the human spirit ascends upward, and the animal’s spirit descends into the earth?”

22So I perceived there is nothing better than for people to enjoy their work because that is their reward; for who can show them what the future holds?

1For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under 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 seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

7a time to tear, 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 for war, and a time for peace.

9What profit has he who works in that in which he labors?

10I have seen the burden which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.

11He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts, yet so that man can’t find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end.

12I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live.

13Also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God.

14I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; and God has done it, that men should fear before him.

15That which is has been long ago, and that which is to be has been long ago: and God seeks again that which is passed away.

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

17I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”

18I said in my heart, “As for the sons of men, God tests them, so that they may see that they themselves are like animals.

19For that which happens to the sons of men happens to animals. Even one thing happens to them. As the one dies, so the other dies. Yes, they have all one breath; and man has no advantage over the animals: for all is vanity.

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

21Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes downward to the earth?”

22Therefore I saw that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion: for who can bring him to see what will be after him?