¹For everything there is a season , and a time for every purpose under heaven :

²a time to be born ,

and a time to die ;

a time to plant ,

and a time to pluck up that which is planted ;

³a time to kill ,

and a time to heal ;

a time to break down ,

and a time to build up ;

⁴a time to weep ,

and a time to laugh ;

a time to mourn ,

and a time to dance ;

⁵a time to cast away stones,

and a time to gather stones together ;

a time to embrace ,

and a time to refrain from embracing ;

⁶a time to seek ,

and a time to lose;

a time to keep ,

and a time to cast away ;

⁷a time to tear ,

and a time to sew ;

a time to keep silence ,

and a time to speak ;

⁸a time to love,

and a time to hate ;

a time for war ,

and a time for peace .

⁹What profit has he who works in that in which he labours?

¹⁰I have seen the burden which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with .

¹¹He has made everything beautiful in its time . He has also set eternity in their hearts , yet so that man can ’t find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end .

¹²I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice , and to do good as long as they live .

¹³Also that every man should eat and drink , and enjoy good in all his labour , is the gift of God.

¹⁴I know that whatever God does , it shall be forever . Nothing can be added to it , nor anything taken from it ; and God has done it , that men should fear before him .

¹⁵That which is has been long ago, and that which is to be has been long ago. God seeks again that which is passed away.

¹⁶Moreover I saw under the sun , in the place of justice , that wickedness was there ; and in the place of righteousness , that wickedness was there .

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

¹⁸I said in my heart , “As for the sons of men , God tests them , so that they may see that they themselves are like animals.

¹⁹For that which happens to the sons of men happens to animals. Even one thing happens to them . As the one dies , so the other dies . Yes , they have all one breath ; and man has no advantage over the animals, for all is vanity .

²⁰All go to one place . All are from the dust , and all turn to dust again .

²¹Who knows the spirit of man , whether it goes upward , and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes downward to the earth ?”

²²Therefore I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his works , for that is his portion ; for who can bring him to see what will be after him ?