Ecclesiastes 3:9-22

91What profit is there to the worker from that in which he toils? 10I have seen the 2task which God has given the sons of men with which to occupy themselves. 11He has 3made everything 4appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, 5yet so that man 6will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.

12I know that there is 7nothing 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 8gift 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 910fear Him. 15That 11which 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 12wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness. 17I said 13to myself, “14God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man,” for a 15time for every 16matter and for every deed is there. 18I said 17to myself concerning the sons of men, “God has surely tested them in order for them to see that they are but 18beasts.” 1919For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts 20is 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 21vanity. 20All go to the same place. All came from the 22dust and all return to the dust. 21Who knows that the 23breath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth? 22I have seen that 24nothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities, for that is his lot. For who will bring him to see 25what will occur after him?