Ecclesiastes Chapter 3

3 : 1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

3 : 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

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

3 : 4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

3 : 5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

3 : 6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

3 : 7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

3 : 8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

3 : 9 What profit has he that works in that wherein he labors?

3 : 10 I have seen the travail, which God has given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.

3 : 11 He has made every thing beautiful in his time: also he has set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God makes from the beginning to the end.

3 : 12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.

3 : 13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labor, it is the gift of God.

3 : 14 I know that, whatever God does, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God does it, that men should fear before him.

3 : 15 That which has been is now; and that which is to be has already been; and God requires that which is past.

3 : 16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.

3 : 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.

3 : 18 I said in my heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

3 : 19 For that which befalls the sons of men befalls beasts; even one thing befalls them: as the one dies, so dies the other; yes, they have all one breath; so that a man has no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.

3 : 20 All go to one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

3 : 21 Who knows the spirit of man that goes upward, and the spirit of the beast that goes downward to the earth?

3 : 22 Why 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?