Ecclesiastes 3–5

A Time for Everything

There is a time^a for everything,

and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,^b

a time to kill^c and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent^d and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace.

What do workers gain from their toil?^e I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race.^f He has made everything beautiful in its time.^g He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom^h what God has done from beginning to end.ⁱ I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink,^j and find satisfaction^k in all their toil—this is the gift of God.^l I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.^m

Whatever is has already been,ⁿ

and what will be has been before;^o

and God will call the past to account.

And I saw something else under the sun:

In the place of judgment—wickedness was there,

in the place of justice—wickedness was there.

I said to myself,

“God will bring into judgment^p

both the righteous and the wicked,

for there will be a time for every activity,

a time to judge every deed.”^q

I also said to myself, “As for human beings, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals.^r Surely the fate of human beings^s is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless. All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return.^t Who knows if the human spirit rises upward^u and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?”

So I saw that there is nothing better for people than to enjoy their work,^v because that is their lot.^w For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?

Oppression, Toil, Friendlessness

Again I looked and saw all the oppression^a that was taking place under the sun:

I saw the tears of the oppressed—

and they have no comforter;

power was on the side of their oppressors—

and they have no comforter.^b

And I declared that the dead,^c

who had already died,

are happier than the living,

who are still alive.^d

But better than both

is the one who has not yet been,^e

who has not seen the evil

that is done under the sun.^f

And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.^g

Fools fold their hands^h

and ruin themselves.

Better one handful with tranquillity

than two handfuls with toilⁱ

and chasing after the wind.

Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:

There was a man all alone;

he had neither son nor brother.

There was no end to his toil,

yet his eyes were not content^j with his wealth.

“For whom am I toiling,” he asked,

“and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?”

This too is meaningless—

a miserable business!

Two are better than one,

because they have a good return for their labor:

If they fall down,

they can help each other up.

But pity those who fall

and have no one to help them up!

Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.

But how can one keep warm alone?

Though one may be overpowered,

two can defend themselves.

A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Advancement Is Meaningless

Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning. The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor. There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Fulfill Your Vow to God

^*Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.

^*Do not be quick with your mouth,

do not be hasty in your heart

to utter anything before God.^a

God is in heaven

and you are on earth,

so let your words be few.^b

A dream^c comes when there are many cares,

and many words mark the speech of a fool.^d

When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it.^e He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow.^f It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it.^g Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the ^⌈temple^⌈ messenger, “My vow was a mistake.” Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands? Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore fear God.^h

Riches Are Meaningless

If you see the poor oppressed^a in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still. The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.

Those who love money never have enough;

those who love wealth are never satisfied with their income.

This too is meaningless.

As goods increase,

so do those who consume them.

And what benefit are they to the owners

except to feast their eyes on them?

The sleep of laborers is sweet,

whether they eat little or much,

but the abundance of the rich

permits them no sleep.^b

I have seen a grievous evil under the sun:^c

wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners,

or wealth lost through some misfortune,

so that when they have children

there is nothing left for them to inherit.

Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb,

and as everyone comes, so they depart.^d

They take nothing from their toil^e

that they can carry in their hands.^f

This too is a grievous evil:

As everyone comes, so they depart,

and what do they gain,

since they toil for the wind?^g

All their days they eat in darkness,

with great frustration, affliction and anger.

This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for people to eat, to drink^h and to find satisfaction in their toilsome laborⁱ under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. Moreover, when God gives people wealth and possessions,^j and the ability to enjoy them,^k to accept their lot^l and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God.^m They seldom reflect on the days of their lives, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.ⁿ