Ecclesiastes 3

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

1For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:

1For everything there is a fixed time, and a time for every business under the sun.

1To everything--a season, and a time to every delight under the heavens:

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

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

2A time for birth and a time for death; a time for planting and a time for uprooting;

2A time to bring forth, And a time to die. A time to plant, And a time to eradicate the planted.

3A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

3a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

3A time to put to death and a time to make well; a time for pulling down and a time for building up;

3A time to slay, 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;

4a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

4A time for weeping and a time for laughing; a time for sorrow and a time for dancing;

4A time to weep, And a time to laugh. A time to mourn, And a time to skip.

5A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

5a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

5A time to take stones away and a time to get stones together; a time for kissing and a time to keep from kissing;

5A time to cast away stones, And a time to heap up stones. A time to embrace, And a time to be far from embracing.

6A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

6a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

6A time for search and a time for loss; a time to keep and a time to give away;

6A time to seek, And a time to destroy. 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;

7a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

7A time for undoing and a time for stitching; a time for keeping quiet and a time for talk;

7A time to rend, And a time to sew. A time to be silent, And a time to speak.

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

8a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

8A time for love and a time for hate; a time for war and a time for peace.

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

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

9What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboreth?

9What profit has the worker in the work which he does?

9What advantage hath the doer in that which he is labouring at?

10I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.

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

10I saw the work which God has put on the sons of man.

10I have seen the travail that God hath given to the sons of man to be humbled by it.

11He hath made every thing beautiful in his 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.

11He hath made everything beautiful in its time: also he hath set eternity in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end.

11He has made everything right in its time; but he has made their hearts without knowledge, so that man is unable to see the works of God, from the first to the last.

11The whole He hath made beautiful in its season; also, that knowledge He hath put in their heart without which man findeth not out the work that God hath done from the beginning even unto the end.

12I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.

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

12I am certain that there is nothing better for a man than to be glad, and to do good while life is in him.

12I have known that there is no good for them except to rejoice and to do good during their life,

13And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

13And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God.

13And for every man to take food and drink, and have joy in all his work, is a reward from God.

13yea, even every man who eateth and hath drunk and seen good by all his labour, it <FI>is<Fi> a gift of God.

14I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.

14I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it; and God hath done it, that men should fear before him.

14I am certain that whatever God does will be for ever. No addition may be made to it, nothing may be taken from it; and God has done it so that man may be in fear before him.

14I have known that all that God doth is to the age, to it nothing is to be added, and from it nothing is to be withdrawn; and God hath wrought that they do fear before Him.

15That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.

15That which is hath been long ago; and that which is to be hath long ago been: and God seeketh again that which is passed away.

15Whatever is has been before, and what is to be is now; because God makes search for the things which are past.

15What is that which hath been? already it is, and that which <FI>is<Fi> to be hath already been, and God requireth that which is pursued.

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

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.

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

16And again, I have seen under the sun the place of judgment--there <FI>is<Fi> the wicked; and the place of righteousness--there <FI>is<Fi> the wicked.

17I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

17I 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.

17I said in my heart, God will be judge of the good and of the bad; because a time for every purpose and for every work has been fixed by him.

17I said in my heart, `The righteous and the wicked doth God judge, for a time <FI>is<Fi> to every matter and for every work there.'

18I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

18I said in my heart, It isbecause of the sons of men, that God may prove them, and that they may see that they themselves are but as beasts.

18I said in my heart, It is because of the sons of men, so that God may put them to the test and that they may see themselves as beasts.

18I said in my heart concerning the matter of the sons of man that God might cleanse them, so as to see that they themselves <FI>are<Fi> 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 a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.

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; and man hath no preeminence above the beasts: for all is vanity.

19Because the fate of the sons of men and the fate of the beasts is the same. As is the death of one so is the death of the other, and all have one spirit. Man is not higher than the beasts; because all is to no purpose.

19For an event <FI>is to<Fi> the sons of man, and an event <FI>is to<Fi> the beasts, even one event <FI>is<Fi> to them; as the death of this, so <FI>is<Fi> the death of that; and one spirit <FI>is<Fi> to all, and the advantage of man above the beast is nothing, for the whole <FI>is<Fi> vanity.

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

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

20All go to one place, all are of the dust, and all will be turned to dust again.

20The whole are going unto one place, the whole have been from the dust, and the whole are turning back unto the dust.

21Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

21Who knoweth the spirit of man, whether it goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast, whether it goeth downward to the earth?

21Who is certain that the spirit of the sons of men goes up to heaven, or that the spirit of the beasts goes down to the earth?

21Who knoweth the spirit of the sons of man that is going up on high, and the spirit of the beast that is going down below to the earth?

22Wherefore 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?

22Wherefore I saw that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him back to see what shall be after him?

22So I saw that there is nothing better than for a man to have joy in his work--because that is his reward. Who will make him see what will come after him?

22And I have seen that there is nothing better than that man rejoice in his works, for it <FI>is<Fi> his portion; for who doth bring him in to look on that which is after him?