1 T here is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven—

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

2 A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot 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 tear 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 throw stones and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace and a time to shun 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 search and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep and a time to throw away.

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

7 A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to be silent and a time to speak.

A time to rend, 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 of war, and a time of peace.

9 W hat profit is there to the worker from that in which he toils?

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

10 I have seen the task which God has given the sons of men with which to occupy themselves. God Set Eternity in the Heart of Man

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

11 H e has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.

He 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.

12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime;

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

13 m oreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—it is the gift of God.

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

14 I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him.

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.

15 T hat which is has been already and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by.

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

16 F urthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.

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

17 I said to myself, “ God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man,” for a time for every matter and for every deed is there.

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.

18 I said to myself concerning the sons of men, “God has surely tested them in order for them to see that they are but beasts.”

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.

19 F or the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is vanity.

For 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.

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

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

21 W ho knows that the breath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth?

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

22 I have seen that nothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities, for that is his lot. For who will bring him to see what will occur after him?

Wherefore 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?