1 ¶ There is a season for every thing, and a time for every activity 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;

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 scatter stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

6 A time to find, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away;

7 A time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep quiet, 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 does the worker gain for his toil?

10 I have seen the labor, that God has given the sons of men to carry out.

11 ¶ He has made every thing beautiful in its time: he has also put eternity in their hearts, but no one can comprehend what God is doing from the beginning to the end.

12 I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and do good in this life.

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

14 I know that, whatever God does, will be for ever: nothing can be added to it, or taken from it: and God does it, so that men will fear him.

15 That which is now happened before; and that which will be already is; God repeats that which is past.

16 ¶ Then I saw under the sun, that in the place of justice, there is wickedness; and in the place of righteousness, there is iniquity.

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

18 I thought concerning the affairs of the sons of men, that God is trying them, so that they might see that they are animals.

19 For what happens to people happens to animals; the same happens to both: as the one dies, so the other dies; yea, they all have the same breath; so that people have no advantage over animals: for all is vanity.

20 All go to one place; all are made of dust, and all return to dust.

21 Who perceives the spirit of man which goes up, and the spirit of a beast which goes down to the earth?

22 Therefore I have seen that there is nothing better for a person, than that he should enjoy his work; for that is his portion: who can bring him back to see what will happen after he dies?