Chapter 3

  To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heavens:  

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  A time to be born, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;  

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  A time to kill, and a time to heal; A time to break down, and a time to build up;  

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

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  A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;  

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  A time to seek, and a time to lose; A time to keep, and a time to cast away;  

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  A time to rend, and a time to sew; A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;  

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  A time to love, and a time to hate; A time of war, and a time of peace.  

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  What profit hath he that worketh from that wherein he laboureth?  

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  I have seen the travail that God hath given to the sons of men to toil in.  

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  He hath made everything beautiful in its time; also he hath set the world in their heart, so that man findeth not out from the beginning to the end the work that God doeth.  

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  I know that there is nothing good for them but to rejoice and to do well in their life;  

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  yea also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labour, it is the gift of God.  

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  I know that whatever God doeth, it shall be for ever; there is nothing to be added to it, nor anything to be taken from it; and God doeth [it], that [men] should fear before him.  

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  That which is was long ago, and that which is to be hath already been; and God bringeth back again that which is past.  

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  And moreover I saw under the sun, that in the place of judgment, wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, wickedness was there.  

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  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.  

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  I said in my heart, It is thus with the children of men, that God may prove them, and that they should see that they themselves are but beasts.  

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  For what befalleth the children of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other, and they have all one breath; and man hath no pre-eminence above the beast: for all is vanity.  

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  All go unto one place: all are of the dust, and all return to dust.  

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  Who knoweth the spirit of the children of men? Doth it go upwards? and the spirit of the beasts, doth it go downwards to the earth?  

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  And I have seen that there is nothing better than that man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion; for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?  

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