Ecclesiastes/Qohelet 3

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:	1 There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens.
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;	2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;	3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build.
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;	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;	5 A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them; a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;	6 A time to seek, 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;	7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to be silent, and a time to speak.
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.	8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?	9 What advantage has the worker from his toil?
10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.	10 I have considered the task which God has appointed for men to be busied about.
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.	11 He has made everything appropriate to its time, and has put the timeless into their hearts, without men's ever discovering, from beginning to end, the work which God has done.
12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.	12 I recognized that there is nothing better than to be glad and to do well during 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.	13 For every man, moreover, to eat and drink and enjoy the fruit of all his labor is a gift of God.
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.	14 I recognized that whatever God does will endure forever; there is no adding to it, or taking from it. Thus has God done that he may be revered.
15 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.	15 What now is has already been; what is to be, already is; and God restores what would otherwise be displaced.
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.	16 And still under the sun in the judgment place I saw wickedness, and in the seat of justice, iniquity.
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.	17 And I said to myself, both the just and the wicked God will judge, since there is a time for every affair and on every work a judgment.
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.	18 I said to myself: As for the children of men, it is God's way of testing them and of showing that they are in themselves like beasts.
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.	19 For the lot of man and of beast is one lot; the one dies as well as the other. Both have the same life-breath, and man has no advantage over the beast; but all is vanity.
20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.	20 Both go to the same place; both were made from the dust, and to the dust they both return.
21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?	21 Who knows if the life-breath of the children of men goes upward and the life-breath of beasts goes earthward?
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?	22 And I saw that there is nothing better for a man than to rejoice in his work; for this is his lot. Who will let him see what is to come after him?