# Ecclesiastes 3 [[Ecclesiastes 2|←]] • [[Ecclesiastes 4|→]] --- ### 1 To every a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: ### 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up 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 cast away stones, and a time to gather together; stones a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; ### 6 A time to get, 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; ### 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? ### 10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it. ### 11 He hath made every 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 that no good in them, but for to rejoice, and to do good in his life. ### 13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it the 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 that should fear before him. ### 15 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past. ### 16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, wickedness there; and the place of righteousness, iniquity there. ### 17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for a time there for every purpose and for every work. ### 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 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 vanity. ### 20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. ### 21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? ### 22 Wherefore I perceive that nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?