1 T o everything there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven:

For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:

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

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

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,

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

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

a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

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

a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

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

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

9 W hat profit remains for the worker from his toil?

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

10 I have seen the painful labor and exertion and miserable business which God has given to the sons of men with which to exercise and busy themselves.

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

11 H e has made everything beautiful in its time. He also has planted eternity in men’s hearts and minds, yet so that men cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

He 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.

12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to be glad and to get and do good as long as they live;

I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, 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 labor—it is the gift of God.

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

14 I know that whatever God does, it endures forever; nothing can be added to it nor anything taken from it. And God does it so that men will fear Him.

I 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.

15 T hat which is now already has been, and that which is to be already has been; and God seeks that which has passed by.

That 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.

16 M oreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice there was wickedness, and that in the place of righteousness wickedness was there also.

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

I 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.”

18 I said in my heart regarding the subject of the sons of men, God is trying (separating and sifting) them, that they may see that by themselves they are but like beasts.

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

19 F or that which befalls the sons of men befalls beasts; even one thing befalls them both. As the one dies, so dies the other. Yes, they all have one breath and spirit, so that a man has no preeminence over a beast; for all is vanity (emptiness, falsity, and futility)!

For 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.

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

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

21 W ho knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the beast, whether it goes downward to the earth?

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

22 S o I saw 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 back to see what will happen after he is gone?

Therefore 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?