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

¶ For all things there is a season, and every will under the heaven has its time determined.

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 of war, and a time of peace.

9 W hat does the worker get for his work?

What profit does the one that works have in that in which he labours?

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

I have seen the travail which God has given to the sons of men that they may be occupied in it.

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 has made every thing beautiful in his time: even the world he has given over to their will, in such a way that no man can attain to this work that God makes from the beginning 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 have learned that there is nothing better for them, but to rejoice and to do good in his life.

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 the good of all his labour; it 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 have understood that whatever God does, it shall be for ever; nothing can be added to it, nor any thing taken from it because God does 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 has been is now, and that which is to be has already been and God shall seek that which is past.

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 that instead of judgment, there was wickedness; and instead of righteousness, that iniquity 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 shall judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time determined to judge every will and regarding everything that is done.

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 concerning the estate of the sons of men that God might manifest them and that they might see that they themselves are beasts one to another.

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 befalls the sons of men befalls beasts; even one thing befalls them: as the one dies, so dies the other; and they all have one breath; so that a man has no more breath than 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 shall 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 knows that the spirit of the sons of men goes upward and that the spirit of the beast goes 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?

Therefore 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?