Ecclesiastes 3:1-16

¹For every thing there is a fixed period, and an appointed time to every thing under heaven:—

²A time to be born, and a time to die. A time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted.

³A time to kill, and a time to heal. A time to breaking down, and a time to build up.

⁴A time to weep, and a time to laugh. A time to mourn, and a time to dance.

⁵A time to cast stones asunder, and a time to gather stones together. A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.

⁶A time to seek, and a time to lose. A time to keep, and a time to cast away.

⁷A time to rend, and a time to sew. A time to keep silence, and a time to speak.

⁸A time to love, and a time to hate. A time of war, and a time of peace.—

⁹What profit hath he who laboreth from that with which he wearieth himself?

¹⁰I have seen the business which God hath given to the sons of men to exercise themselves therewith.

¹¹God maketh every thing good in its time; but he hath put the world into the heart of man, so that he understandeth not the work which God doeth, from the beginning to the end.

¹²I know that there is nothing better for a man than that he should rejoice and enjoy good his life long.

¹³But when a man eateth and drinketh, and enjoyeth good through all his labor, this is the gift of God.

¹⁴I know that whatever God doeth, that shall be for ever. Nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken from it; and God doeth it that men may fear before him.

¹⁵That which is, was long ago; and that which is to be, hath already been; and God recalleth that which is past.

¹⁶Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice there was iniquity; and in the place of righteousness, iniquity.