Ecclesiastes 3
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1To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:1For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
2a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,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 break down and a time to build,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,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,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 search and a time to count as lost, a time to keep and a time to discard,6a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,7a time to tear, 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.8a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.
9What does the worker gain from his toil?9What gain has the worker from his toil?
10I have seen the burden that God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them.10I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with.
11He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom the work that God has done from beginning to end.11He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.
12I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and do good while they live,12I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live;
13and also that every man should eat and drink and find satisfaction in all his labor—this is the gift of God.13also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.
14I know that everything God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God does it so that they should fear Him.14I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him.
15What exists has already been, and what will be has already been, for God will call to account what has passed.15That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away.
16Furthermore, I saw under the sun that in the place of judgment there is wickedness, and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.16Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness.
17I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked, since there is a time for every activity and every deed.”17I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work.
18I said to myself, “As for the sons of men, God tests them so that they may see for themselves that they are but beasts.”18I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but beasts.
19For the fates of both men and beasts are the same: As one dies, so dies the other—they all have the same breath. Man has no advantage over the animals, since everything is futile.19For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity.
20All go to one place; all come from dust, and all return to dust.20All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return.
21Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and the spirit of the animal descends into the earth?21Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth?
22I have seen that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will come after him?22So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot. Who can bring him to see what will be after him?
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Ecclesiastes 2
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