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

There is a special time for everything. There is a time for everything that happens under heaven.

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

There is a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pick what is planted.

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

There is a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up.

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

There is a time to cry, and a time to laugh; a time to have sorrow, and a time to dance.

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

There is a time to throw stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to kiss, and a time to turn from kissing.

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

There is a time to try to find, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away.

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

There is a time to tear apart, and a time to sew together; a time to be quiet, and a time to speak.

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

There is a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. The God-Given Work

9 W hat profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?

What does the worker get for his work?

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

I have seen the work which God has given the sons of men to do.

11 H e 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.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has put thoughts of the forever in man’s mind, yet man cannot understand the work God has done from the beginning to the end.

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

I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and to do good as long as they live.

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

And I know that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his work. It is the gift of God.

14 I 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.

I know that everything God does will last forever. There is nothing to add to it, and nothing to take from it. God works so that men will honor Him with fear.

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

That which is, already has been. And that which will be, has already been. For God allows the same things to happen again. Sin Is Everywhere

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

Also I have seen under the sun that in the place of what is right and fair there is sin. And in the place of what is right and good there is wrong-doing.

17 I 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.

I said to myself, “God will judge both the man who is right and good, and the sinful man.” For there is a time for everything to be done and a time for every work.

18 I 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.

I said to myself about the sons of men, “God is testing them to show them that they are like animals.”

19 F or 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.

For the same thing is to happen to both the sons of men and animals. As one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and to be a man is no better than to be an animal. Because all is for nothing.

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

All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust.

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

Who knows that the spirit of man goes up and the spirit of the animal goes down to the earth?

22 W herefore 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?

So I have seen that nothing is better than that man should be happy in his work, for that is all he can do. Who can bring him to see what will happen after him?