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

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

2 T here is a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pick 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 T here is 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 T here is a time to cry, and a time to laugh; a time to have sorrow, and a time to dance.

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

5 T here is a time to throw stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to kiss, and a time to turn from kissing.

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 T here is a time to try to find, and a time to lose; 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 T here is a time to tear apart, and a time to sew together; a time to be quiet, 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 T here is a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. The God-Given Work

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

9 W hat does the worker get for his work?

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

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

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

11 H e 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.

He hath made everything beautiful in its time: also he hath set eternity in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end.

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

I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to do good so long as they live.

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

And 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 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.

I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it; and God hath done it, that men should fear before him.

15 T hat 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

That which is hath been long ago; and that which is to be hath long ago been: and God seeketh again that which is passed away.

16 A lso 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.

And 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 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.

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

I said in my heart, It is because of the sons of men, that God may prove them, and that they may see that they themselves are but as beasts.

19 F or 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.

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; and man hath no preeminence above the beasts: 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 spirit of man goes up and the spirit of the animal goes down to the earth?

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

22 S o 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?

Wherefore I saw that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him back to see what shall be after him?