3 To every thing there is a season, and aa time to every bpurpose under the heaven:

2  A time †to be born, and a time to cdie;

A time to plant, and a time to dpluck up that which 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 eto laugh;

A time to mourn, and a time to dance;

5  A time fto cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;

A time to embrace, and a time g†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 hrend, and a time to sew;

A time ito 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  jWhat profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?

10 I have seen the ktravail, which lGod hath given to the sons of men kto be exercised in it. 11 He hath made every thing mbeautiful nin his time: also he hath oset the world in their heart, so that pno man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. 12 I know qthat there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and rto do good in his life. 13 And also sthat every man should eat and drink, and tenjoy the good of all his labour, uit is the gift of God. 14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: xnothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him. 15 yThat which hath been is znow; and that which is to be hath zalready been; and God arequireth †that which is past.

16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that bwickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there. 17 I said in mine heart, aGod shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is ca time dthere for every purpose and for every work.

18 I said in mine heart econcerning the estate of the sons of men, ||that God might fmanifest them, and that they might see gthat they themselves are beasts. 19 For hthat which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even ione 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 is vanity. 20 All go unto one place; kall are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. 21 Who knoweth lthe spirit †of man that †goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? 22 Wherefore I perceive mthat there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for nthat is his portion: for who shall bring him to see owhat shall be after him?

4 So aI returned, and considered all the boppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had cno comforter; and on the †side of their oppressors there was power; but they had cno comforter. 2 Wherefore dI praised the dead which are ealready dead more than the living which are fyet alive. 3 Yea, better is he than both they, dgwhich hath not fyet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

4 Again, I considered all travail, and †every right work, that †for this a man iis envied of his neighbour. This is also jvanity and vexation of spirit. 5 The fool kfoldeth his hands together, and leateth his own flesh. 6 mBetter is an handful with nquietness, than both the hands full with travail and jvexation of spirit.

7 Then oI returned, and I saw vanity under the sun. 8 There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his peye satisfied with riches; neither qsaith he, rFor whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore stravail. 9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but twoe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. 11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but uhow can one be warm alone? 12 And if one xprevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a ythreefold cord is not quickly broken.

13 zBetter is a apoor and a wise child than an old and bfoolish king, †who will no more be cadmonished. 14 dFor out of eprison he cometh to reign; fwhereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor. 15 I considered all the living which walk under the sun, gwith the second child that shall stand up in his stead. 16 There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: hthey also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is ivanity and vexation of spirit.