Ecclesiastes 3:1-20

¹To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

²A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

³A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break 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 away stones, 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 for war, and a time for peace.

⁹What profit hath he that worketh in that he laboureth?

¹⁰I have seen the task which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.

¹¹He hath made every thing beautiful in its time; also He hath set the world in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end.

¹²I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to get pleasure so long as they live.

¹³But also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy pleasure for all his labour, is the gift of God.

¹⁴I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever; nothing can be added to it, nor any thing taken from it; and God hath so made it, that men should fear before Him.

¹⁵That which is hath been long ago, and that which is to be hath already been; and God seeketh that which is pursued.

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

¹⁷I said in my heart: 'The righteous and the wicked God will judge; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.'

¹⁸I said in my heart: 'It is because of the sons of men, that God may sift them, and that they may see that they themselves are but as beasts.'

¹⁹For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them; as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that man hath no pre-eminence above a beast; for all is vanity.

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