1 | To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: |
2 | 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 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; |
5 | A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; |
6 | A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; |
7 | A time to rend, 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 of war, and a time of peace. |
9 | What profit hath he that worketh in that in which he laboreth? |
10 | I have seen the labor, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it. |
11 | He hath made every thing beautiful in its time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. |
12 | I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. |
13 | And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labor, it is the gift of God. |
14 | I know that, whatever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be added to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him. |
15 | That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past. |
16 | And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there. |
17 | 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 in my heart concerning the state of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts. |
19 | For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yes, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no pre-eminence above a beast: for all is vanity. |
20 | All go to one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. |
21 | Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? |
22 | Wherefore 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? |