Chapter 3

A Time for Everything

1 There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a atime for every 1event under heaven—

2 A time to give birth and a atime to die;

A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.

3 A atime to kill and a time to heal;

A time to tear down and a time to build up.

4 A time to aweep and a time to blaugh;

A time to mourn and a time to cdance.

5 A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;

A time to embrace and a time to shun 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 apart and a time to sew together;

A time to abe silent and a time to speak.

8 A time to love and a time to ahate;

A time for war and a time for peace.

9 aWhat profit is there to the worker from that in which he toils?

10 I have seen the atask which God has given the sons of men with which to occupy themselves.

God Set Eternity in the Heart of Man

11 He has amade everything 1appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, 2yet so that man bwill not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.

12 I know that there is anothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime;

13 moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—it is the agift of God.

14 I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should 1afear Him.

15 That awhich is has been already and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by.

16 Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is awickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.

17 I said 1to myself, “aGod will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man,” for a btime for every 2matter and for every deed is there.

18 I said 1to myself concerning the sons of men, “God has surely tested them in order for them to see that they are but abeasts.”

19 aFor the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts 1is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is 2vanity.

20 All go to the same place. All came from the adust and all return to the dust.

21 Who knows that the abreath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth?

22 I have seen that anothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities, for that is his lot. For who will bring him to see bwhat will occur after him?

Chapter 4

The Evils of Oppression

1 Then I looked again at all the acts of aoppression which were being done under the sun. And behold I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had bno one to comfort them; and on the side of their oppressors was power, but they had no one to comfort them.

2 So aI congratulated the dead who are already dead more than the living who are still living.

3 But abetter off than both of them is the one who has never existed, who has never seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.

4 I have seen that every labor and every askill which is done is the result of rivalry between a man and his neighbor. This too is 1bvanity and striving after wind.

5 The fool afolds his hands and bconsumes his own flesh.

6 One hand full of rest is abetter than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.

7 Then I looked again at vanity under the sun.

8 There was a certain man without a 1dependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, ahis eyes were not satisfied with riches and he never asked, “And bfor whom am I laboring and depriving myself of pleasure?” This too is vanity and it is a cgrievous task.

9 Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.

10 For if 1either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not 2another to lift him up.

11 Furthermore, if two lie down together they 1keep warm, but ahow can one be warm alone?

12 And if 1one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

13 A apoor yet wise lad is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive 1instruction.

14 For he has come aout of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom.

15 I have seen all the living under the sun throng to the side of the second lad who 1replaces him.

16 There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them, and even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him, for this too is avanity and striving after wind.

Chapter 5

Your Attitude Toward God

1 1aGuard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the bsacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil.

2 1Do not be ahasty 2in word or 3impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your bwords be few.

3 For the dream comes through much 1effort and the voice of a afool through many words.

4 When you amake a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. bPay what you vow!

5 It is abetter that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.

6 Do not let your 1speech cause 2you to sin and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a amistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands?

7 For in many dreams and in many words there is 1emptiness. Rather, 2afear God.

8 If you see aoppression of the poor and bdenial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be cshocked at the 1sight; for one 2official watches over another 2official, and there are higher 3officials over them.

9 After all, a king who cultivates the field is an advantage to the land.

The Folly of Riches

10 aHe who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is 1vanity.

11 aWhen good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to 1look on?

12 The sleep of the working man is apleasant, whether he eats little or much; but the 1full stomach of the rich man does not allow him to sleep.

13 There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: ariches being 1hoarded by their owner to his hurt.

14 When those riches were lost through 1a bad investment and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing 2to support him.

15 aAs he had come naked from his mother’s womb, so will he return as he came. He will btake nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand.

16 This also is a grievous evil—exactly as a man 1is born, thus will he 2die. So awhat is the advantage to him who btoils for the wind?

17 Throughout his life ahe also eats in darkness with bgreat vexation, sickness and anger.

18 Here is what I have seen to be agood and 1fitting: to eat, to drink and 2enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few 3years of his life which God has given him; for this is his 4breward.

19 Furthermore, as for every man to whom aGod has given riches and wealth, He has also bempowered him to eat from them and to receive his 1reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the cgift of God.

20 For he will not often 1consider the 2years of his life, because aGod keeps 3him occupied with the gladness of his heart.