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

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

2 A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what 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 tear 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 throw stones and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace and a time to shun 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 search and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep and a time to throw 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 tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to be silent 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 for war and a time for 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 is there to the worker from that in which he toils?

What does the worker get for his work?

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

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 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 nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime;

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

13 m oreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—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 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 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 is has been already and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by.

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 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.

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

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

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

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

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?