¹ 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 pluck up that which is planted; ³ 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; 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; ⁶ A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; ⁷ 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 of war, and a time of peace. ⁹ What profit has he that works in that in which he labors? ¹⁰ I have seen the labour, which God has given to the sons of men to be exercised in it. 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. ¹² 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 man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God. ¹⁴ I know that, anything God does, it will be forever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God does it, that men should fear before him. ¹⁵ That which has been is now and that which is to be has already been and God requires that which is past. 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. ¹⁷ I said in mine heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work. ¹⁸ 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 that which happens the sons of men happens beasts; even one thing happens 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. ²⁰ All go to one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. ²¹ Who know the spirit of man that goes upward, and the spirit of the beast that goes downward to the earth? 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 will bring him to see what will be after him?