Ecclesiastes/Qohelet 3

NEW JERUSALEM	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 There is a season for everything, a time for every occupation under heaven:	1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2 A time for giving birth, a time for dying; a time for planting, a time for uprooting what has been planted.	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 for kil ing, a time for healing; a time for knocking down, a time for building.	3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time for tears, a time for laughter; a time for mourning, a time for dancing.	4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 A time for throwing stones away, a time for gathering them; a time for embracing, a time to refrain fromembracing.	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 for searching, a time for losing; a time for keeping, a time for discarding.	6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 A time for tearing, a time for sewing; a time for keeping silent, a time for speaking.	7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time for loving, a time for hating; a time for war, a time for peace.	8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
9 What do people gain from the efforts they make?	9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
10 I contemplate the task that God gives humanity to labour at.	10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
11 All that he does is apt for its time; but although he has given us an awareness of the passage of time,we can grasp neither the beginning nor the end of what God does.	11 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 there is no happiness for a human being except in pleasure and enjoyment through life.	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 when we eat and drink and find happiness in all our achievements, this is a gift from God.	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 whatever God does wil be for ever. To this there is nothing to add, from this there isnothing to subtract, and the way God acts inspires dread.	14 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 What is, has been already, what will be, is already; God seeks out anyone who is persecuted.	15 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.
16 Again I observe under the sun: crime is where justice should be, the criminal is where the uprightshould be.	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 And I think to myself: the upright and the criminal will both be judged by God, since there is a time forevery thing and every action here.	17 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 think to myself: where human beings are concerned, this is so that God can test them and show themthat they are animals.	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 the fate of human and the fate of animal is the same: as the one dies, so the other dies; both havethe selfsame breath. Human is in no way better off than animal -- since al is futile.	19 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 Everything goes to the same place, everything comes from the dust, everything returns to the dust.	20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
21 Who knows if the human spirit mounts upward or if the animal spirit goes downward to the earth?	21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
22 I see there is no contentment for a human being except happiness in achievement; such is the lot of ahuman beings. No one can tel us what wil happen after we are gone.	22 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?