Ecclesiastes 3

A Time for Everything

1There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a 1time for every 2event under heaven--2A time to give birth and a 3time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.3A 4time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up.4A time to 5weep and a time to 6laugh; A time to mourn and a time to 7dance.5A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.6A time to search and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep and a time to throw away.7A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to 8be silent and a time to speak.8A time to love and a time to 9hate; A time for war and a time for peace.

910What profit is there to the worker from that in which he toils? 10I have seen the 11task which God has given the sons of men with which to occupy themselves.

God Set Eternity in the Heart of Man

11He has 12made everything 13appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, 14yet so that man 15will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.

12I know that there is 16nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime; 13moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor--it is the 17gift of God. 14I 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 1819fear Him. 15That 20which is has been already and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by.

16Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is 21wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness. 17I said 22to myself, “23God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man,” for a 24time for every 25matter and for every deed is there. 18I said 26to myself concerning the sons of men, “God has surely tested them in order for them to see that they are but 27beasts.” 1928For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts 29is 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 30vanity. 20All go to the same place. All came from the 31dust and all return to the dust. 21Who knows that the 32breath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth? 22I have seen that 33nothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities, for that is his lot. For who will bring him to see 34what will occur after him?