1 There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens.

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

2 A time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.

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 A time to kill and a time to heal; a time to tear down and a time to build.

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

4 A time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance.

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

5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them; a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing.

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

6 A time to search and a time to give up; a time to keep and a time to throw away.

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

7 A time to tear and a time to mend; a time to be silent and a time to speak.

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

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

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

9 What does the worker gain from all their toil?

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

10 I have seen the burden that God has laid on the human race.

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

11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, He has put eternity in the human heart, yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

He 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.

12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to rejoice and to do good while they live.

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

13 And also that every person should eat, drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.

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

14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it nor taken from it. God does this so that people will fear Him.

I 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.

15 Whatever has already been, and what will be has already been; and God seeks what has been pursued.

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

16 And I saw under the sun, in the place of judgment, wickedness was there, and in the place of righteousness, wickedness was there as well.

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

17 I said in my heart, 'God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work.'

I 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.

18 I said in my heart concerning the matter of the sons of man, that God is testing them to show them that they are like animals.

I 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.

19 For the fate of humans and the fate of animals is the same. As one dies, so dies the other; they all have the same breath, and humans have no advantage over animals, for everything is meaningless.

For 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.

20 All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return.

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

21 Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down to the earth?

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

22 So I saw that there is nothing better than for a person to rejoice in their work, for that is their lot. Who can bring them to see what will happen after them?

Wherefore 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?