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

For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose 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.

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 seek, 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 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 is there to the worker from that in which he toils?

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

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

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 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 rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime;

I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, 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.

Also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, 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 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 has been already and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what 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 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.

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

All go to one place. All are from 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 knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes 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?

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?