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2 a time to be born and a time to die;
a time to plant and a time to uproot;
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 throw away stones and a time to gather stones;
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to search and a time to give up as lost;
a time to keep and a time to throw away;
7 a time to tear and a time to mend;
a time to be silent and a time to speak;
8 a time to love and a time to hate;
a time for war and a time for peace.
9 What does the worker gain from all that he labours at? 10 I have seen the task that God has given people to keep them occupied. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts, but no man can fathom the work that God has done from the beginning to the end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy, and to do good while they live. 13 So it is a gift from God when anyone eats and drinks and finds satisfaction from all their toil. 14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing can be taken away from it. God does it so that people will revere Him.
15 Whatever is has already been,
and what will be has already been before;
and God will call the past to account.
16 And I also saw something under the sun:
In the place of judgment—wickedness was there;
in the place of righteousness—wickedness was there.
17 I said to myself,
“God will bring to judgment
both the righteous and the wicked,
for there is a time for every activity,
and for every deed.”
18 I also said to myself, “As for people, God puts them to the test, so they may see for themselves that they are like the animals. 19 For the fate of people is like that of the animals. As one dies, so the other dies also; they all have the same breath. Man has no advantage over the animals, for everything is futile. 20 All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. 21 Who knows whether the spirit of man rises upward and if the spirit of animals goes down into the earth?”
22 So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can enable him to see what will happen after his time is up?