Toeverythingthereisaseason,andatimetoeverypurposeundertheheaven:
Atimetobeborn,andatimetodie;atimetoplant,and
atimetopluckupthatwhichisplanted;
Atimetokill,andatimetoheal;atimetobreakdown,andatimetobuildup;
Atimetoweep,andatimetolaugh;atimetomourn,andatimetodance;
Atimetocastawaystones,andatimetogatherstonestogether;atimetoembrace,
andatimetorefrainfromembracing;
Atimetoget,andatimetolose;atimetokeep,andatimetocastaway;
Atimetorend,andatimetosew;atimetokeepsilence,andatimetospeak;
Atimetolove,andatimetohate;atimeofwar,andatimeofpeace.
Whatprofithathhethatworkethinthatwhereinhelaboureth?
Ihaveseenthetravail,whichGodhathgiventothesonsofmentobeexercisedinit.
Hehathmadeeverythingbeautifulinhistime:
alsohehathsettheworldintheirheart,
sothatnomancanfindouttheworkthatGodmakethfromthebeginningtotheend.
Iknowthatthereisnogoodinthem,butforamantorejoice,andtodogoodinhislife.
Andalsothateverymanshouldeatanddrink,andenjoythegoodofallhislabour,
itisthegiftofGod.
Iknowthat,whatsoeverGoddoeth,itshallbeforever:nothingcanbeputtoit,
noranythingtakenfromit:andGoddoethit,thatmenshouldfearbeforehim.
Thatwhichhathbeenisnow;andthatwhichistobehathalreadybeen;and
Godrequireththatwhichispast.
AndmoreoverIsawunderthesuntheplaceofjudgment,
thatwickednesswasthere;andtheplaceofrighteousness,thatiniquitywasthere.
Isaidinmineheart,Godshalljudgetherighteousandthewicked:forthereisatime
thereforeverypurposeandforeverywork.
Isaidinmineheartconcerningtheestateofthesonsofmen,thatGodmightmanifestthem,
andthattheymightseethattheythemselvesarebeasts.
Forthatwhichbefalleththesonsofmenbefallethbeasts;evenonethingbefalleththem:
astheonedieth,sodieththeother;yea,theyhaveallonebreath;
sothatamanhathnopreeminenceaboveabeast:forallisvanity.
Allgountooneplace;allareofthedust,andallturntodustagain.
Whoknoweththespiritofmanthatgoethupward,
andthespiritofthebeastthatgoethdownwardtotheearth?
WhereforeIperceivethatthereisnothingbetter,
thanthatamanshouldrejoiceinhisownworks;forthatishisportion:
forwhoshallbringhimtoseewhatshallbeafterhim?