Ecclesiastes 3

1. To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the heavens:

2. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what 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 throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

6. A time to gain, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away;

7. A time to tear, 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 does he have who works in that in which he labors?

10. I have seen the task which God has given to the sons of men to be exercised by it.

11. He has made everything beautiful in its time; He has also set eternity in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God makes from the beginning to the end.

12. I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice and to do good as long as they live.

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 does, it shall be forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; and God does it so that men should fear before Him.

15. That which has been is now; and that which is to be has already been; and God requires an account of that which is past.

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

17. I said in my heart, “God shall 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 matter of the sons of men, may God reveal to them, that they might see, that they themselves are but beasts.”

19. For that which happens to the sons of men also happens to beasts—even one thing happens to them. As the one dies, so dies the other; yea, they all have one breath; so that a man has no advantage over a beast; for all is vanity.

20. All go to one place; all are of the dust, and all return to dust again.

21. Who knows the spirit of man whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the beast whether it goes downward to the earth?

22. Therefore I perceive that there is nothing better that a man should do than to rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion; for who can bring him to see what shall be after him?