Ecclesiastes 3-11

New American Standard Bible

A Time for Everything

3 There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a ^(A)time for every matter under heaven—

^9 (I)What benefit is there for the worker from that in which he labors? ¹⁰ I have seen the ^(J)task which God has given the sons of mankind with which to ^[a]occupy themselves.

God Set Eternity in the Heart of Mankind

¹¹ He has ^(K)made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, without the possibility that mankind ^(L)will find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.

¹² I know that there is ^(M)nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime; ¹³ moreover, that every person who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—this is the ^(N)gift 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. And God has so worked, that people will ^[b](O)fear Him. ^15 (P)That which is, is what has already been, and that which will be has already been; and God ^[c]seeks what has passed by.

¹⁶ Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is ^(Q)wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness. ¹⁷ I said ^[d]to myself, “^(R)God will judge the righteous and the wicked,” for a ^(S)time for every matter and for every deed ^[e]is there. ¹⁸ I said ^[f]to myself regarding the sons of mankind, “God is testing them in order for them to see that they are as ^(T)animals, they to themselves.” ^19 (U)For the fate of the sons of mankind and the fate of animals ^[g]is the same. As one dies, so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath, and there is no advantage for mankind over animals, for all is futility. ²⁰ All go to the same place. All came from the ^(V)dust and all return to the dust. ²¹ Who knows that the ^(W)spirit of the sons of mankind ascends upward and the spirit of the animal descends downward to the earth? ²² I have seen that ^(X)nothing is better than when a person is happy in his activities, for that is his ^[h]lot. For who will bring him to see ^(Y)what will occur after him?

The Evils of Oppression

4 Then I looked again at all the acts of ^(Z)oppression which were being done under the sun. And behold, I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had ^(AA)no one to comfort them; and power was on the side of their oppressors, but they had no one to comfort them. ² So ^(AB)I congratulated the dead who are already dead, more than the living who are still living. ³ But ^(AC)better 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 ^(AD)skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a person and his neighbor. This too is ^(AE)futility and striving after wind. ⁵ The fool ^(AF)folds his hands and ^(AG)consumes his own flesh. ⁶ One hand full of rest is ^(AH)better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.

⁷ Then I looked again at futility under the sun. ⁸ There was a man without a ^[i]dependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, ^(AI)his eyes were not satisfied with riches, and he never asked, “And ^(AJ)for whom do I labor and deprive myself of pleasure?” This too is futility, and it is an ^(AK)unhappy task.

⁹ Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor; ¹⁰ for if ^[j]either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not ^[k]another to lift him up! ¹¹ Furthermore, if two lie down together they ^[l]keep warm, but ^(AL)how can one be warm alone? ¹² And if ^[m]one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

¹³ A ^(AM)poor yet wise youth is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive ^[n]instruction— ¹⁴ for he has come ^(AN)out of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom. ¹⁵ I have seen all those living under the sun move to the side of the second youth who ^[o]replaces him. ¹⁶ There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them. Even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him; for this too is ^(AO)futility and striving after wind.

Your Attitude toward God

5 ^[p](AP)Guard your steps as you go to the house of God, and approach to listen rather than to offer the ^(AQ)sacrifice of fools; for they do not know that they are doing evil. ^2 [q]Do not be ^(AR)quick with your mouth or ^[r]impulsive 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 ^(AS)words be few. ³ For the dream comes through much ^[s]effort, and the voice of a ^(AT)fool through many words.

⁴ When you ^(AU)make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. ^(AV)Pay what you vow! ⁵ It is ^(AW)better that you not vow, than vow and not pay. ⁶ Do not let your ^[t]speech cause ^[u]you to sin, and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a ^(AX)mistake. 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 futility. Rather, ^[v](AY)fear God.

⁸ If you see ^(AZ)oppression of the poor and ^(BA)denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be ^(BB)shocked at the ^[w]sight; for one ^[x]official watches over another ^[y]official, and there are higher ^[z]officials over them. ⁹ After all, a king who cultivates the field is beneficial to the land.

The Foolishness of Riches

^10 (BC)One who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor one who loves abundance with its income. This too is futility. ^11 (BD)When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to ^[aa]look at them? ¹² The sleep of the laborer is ^(BE)sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the ^[ab]full stomach of the rich person does not allow him to sleep.

¹³ There is a sickening evil which I have seen under the sun: ^(BF)wealth being ^[ac]hoarded by its owner to his detriment. ¹⁴ When that wealth was lost through bad business and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing ^[ad]to support him. ^15 (BG)As he came naked from his mother’s womb, so he will return as he came. He will ^(BH)take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand. ¹⁶ This also is a sickening evil: exactly as a person ^[ae]is born, so will he ^[af]die. ^(BI)What then is the advantage for him who ^(BJ)labors for the wind? ¹⁷ All his life ^(BK)he also eats in darkness with ^(BL)great irritation, sickness, and anger.

¹⁸ Here is what I have seen to be ^(BM)good and ^[ag]fitting: to eat, to drink, and ^[ah]enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he labors under the sun during the few ^[ai]years of his life which God has given him; for this is his ^[aj](BN)reward. ¹⁹ Furthermore, as for every person to whom ^(BO)God has given riches and wealth, He has also ^(BP)given him the opportunity to ^[ak]enjoy them and to receive his ^[al]reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the ^(BQ)gift of God. ²⁰ For he will not often call to mind the ^[am]years of his life, because ^(BR)God keeps ^[an]him busy with the joy of his heart.

The Futility of Life

6 There is an ^(BS)evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is widespread ^[ao]among mankind: ² a person to whom God has ^(BT)given riches, wealth, and honor, so that his soul ^(BU)lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God has not given him the opportunity to ^[ap]enjoy these things, but a foreigner ^[aq]enjoys them. This is futility and a severe affliction. ³ If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, however many ^[ar]they may be, but his soul is not satisfied with good things and he does not even have a proper ^(BV)burial, then I say, “Better ^(BW)the miscarriage than he, ⁴ for a miscarriage comes in futility and goes into darkness; and its name is covered in darkness. ⁵ It has not even seen the sun nor does it know it; yet ^[as]it is better off than that man. ⁶ Even if the man lives a thousand years twice, but does not see good things—^(BX)do not all go to one and the same place?”

^7 (BY)All a person’s labor is for his mouth, and yet ^[at]his appetite is not ^[au]satisfied. ⁸ For ^(BZ)what advantage does the wise person have over the fool? What does the poor person have, knowing how to walk before the living? ⁹ What the eyes ^(CA)see is better than what the soul ^[av]desires. This too is ^(CB)futility and striving after wind.

¹⁰ Whatever ^(CC)exists has already been named, and it is known what man is; for he ^(CD)cannot dispute with the ^[aw]one who is mightier than he is. ¹¹ For there are many words which increase futility. What then is the advantage to a person? ¹² For who knows what is good for a person during his lifetime, during the few ^[ax]years of his futile life? He will ^[ay]spend them like a shadow. For who can tell a person ^(CE)what will happen after him under the sun?

Wisdom and Foolishness Contrasted

¹⁵ I have seen everything during my ^[bl](DB)lifetime of futility; there is ^(DC)a righteous person who perishes in his righteousness, and there is ^(DD)a wicked person who prolongs his life in his wickedness. ¹⁶ Do not be excessively ^(DE)righteous, and do not ^(DF)be overly wise. Why should you ruin yourself? ¹⁷ Do not be excessively wicked, and do not be foolish. Why should you ^(DG)die ^[bm]before your time? ¹⁸ It is good that you grasp one thing while not ^[bn]letting go of the other; for one who ^(DH)fears God comes out with ^[bo]both of them.

^19 (DI)Wisdom strengthens a wise person more than ten rulers who are in a city. ²⁰ Indeed, ^(DJ)there is not a righteous person on earth who always does good and does not ever sin. ²¹ Also, do not ^[bp]take seriously all the words which are spoken, so that you do not hear your servant ^(DK)cursing you, ²² for ^[bq]you know that even you have cursed others many times as well.

²³ I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, “I will be wise,” ^(DL)but wisdom was far from me. ²⁴ What has been is remote and ^(DM)very ^[br]mysterious. ^(DN)Who can discover it? ²⁵ I ^[bs](DO)directed my ^[bt]mind to know and to investigate, and to seek wisdom and an explanation, and to know the evil of foolishness and the foolishness of insanity. ²⁶ And I discovered as more ^(DP)bitter than death the woman whose heart is ^(DQ)snares and nets, whose hands are chains. ^(DR)One who is pleasing to God will escape from her, but ^(DS)the sinner will be captured by her.

²⁷ “Behold, I have discovered this,” says the Preacher, “by adding one thing to another to find an explanation, ²⁸ which ^[bu]I am still seeking but have not found. I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a ^(DT)woman among all these. ²⁹ Behold, I have found only this, that ^(DU)God made people upright, but they have sought out many schemes.”

Obey Rulers

8 Who is like the wise person and who knows the meaning of a matter? A person’s wisdom ^(DV)illuminates his face and makes his ^(DW)stern face ^[bv]brighten up.

² I say, “Keep the ^[bw]command of the king because of the ^(DX)oath ^[bx]before God. ³ Do not be in a hurry ^[by](DY)to leave him. Do not join in an evil matter, for he will do whatever he pleases.” ⁴ Since the word of the king is authoritative, ^(DZ)who will say to him, “What are you doing?”

⁵ One who ^(EA)keeps a royal command ^(EB)experiences no ^[bz]trouble, for a wise heart knows the proper time and procedure. ⁶ For ^(EC)there is a proper time and procedure for every delight, though a person’s trouble is heavy upon him. ⁷ If no one ^(ED)knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen? ^8 (EE)No one has authority over the wind to restrain the wind, nor authority over the day of death; and there is no military discharge in the time of war, and ^(EF)evil will not save ^[ca]those who practice it. ⁹ All this I have seen, and have applied my ^[cb]mind to every deed that has been done under the sun at a time when one person has exercised ^(EG)authority over another person to his detriment.

¹⁰ So then, I have seen the wicked buried, those who used to go in and out of the holy place, and they are ^(EH)soon forgotten in the city where they did such things. This too is futility. ¹¹ Because the ^(EI)sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore ^(EJ)the hearts of the sons of mankind among them are ^[cc]fully given to do evil. ¹² Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may ^(EK)lengthen his life, still I know that it will go ^(EL)well for those who fear God, who fear ^[cd]Him openly. ¹³ But it will ^(EM)not go well for the evil person and he will not lengthen his days like a ^(EN)shadow, because he does not fear God.

¹⁴ There is futility which is done on the earth, that is, there are ^(EO)righteous people to whom it ^[ce]happens according to the deeds of the wicked. On the other hand, there are ^(EP)evil people to whom it ^[cf]happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I say that this too is futility. ¹⁵ So I commended pleasure, for there is nothing good for ^(EQ)a person under the sun except to eat, drink, and be joyful, and this will stand by him in his labor throughout the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.

¹⁶ When I ^(ER)devoted my ^[cg]mind to know wisdom and to see the business which has been done on the earth (even though one should ^[ch](ES)never sleep day or night), ¹⁷ and I saw every work of God, I concluded that ^(ET)one cannot discover the work which has been done under the sun. Even though a person laboriously seeks, he will not discover; and ^(EU)even if the wise person claims to know, he cannot discover.

People Are in the Hand of God

9 For I have taken all this to my heart, even to ^[ci]examine ^[cj]it all, that righteous people, wise people, and their deeds are ^(EV)in the hand of God. ^(EW)People do not know whether it will be ^(EX)love or hatred; anything ^[ck]awaits them.

^2 (EY)It is the same for all. There is ^(EZ)one fate for the righteous and for the wicked; for the good, for the clean and the unclean; for the person who offers a sacrifice and for the one who does not sacrifice. As the good person is, so is the sinner; the one who swears an oath is just as the one who ^[cl]is afraid to swear an oath. ³ This is an evil in everything that is done under the sun, that there is ^(FA)one fate for everyone. Furthermore, ^(FB)the hearts of the sons of mankind are full of evil, and ^(FC)insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterward they go to the dead. ⁴ For whoever is joined to all the living, there is hope; for better a live dog, than a dead lion. ⁵ For the living know that they will die; but the dead ^(FD)do not know anything, nor do they have a reward any longer, for their ^(FE)memory is forgotten. ⁶ Indeed their love, their hate, and their zeal have already perished, and they will no longer have a ^(FF)share in all that is done under the sun.

⁷ Go then, ^(FG)eat your bread in happiness, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works. ⁸ See that your ^(FH)clothes are white all the time, and that there is no lack of ^(FI)oil on your head. ^9 [cm]Enjoy life with the wife whom you love all the days of your ^(FJ)futile life which He has given you under the sun, ^[cn]all the days of your futility; for this is your ^(FK)reward in life and in your work which you have labored under the sun.

Whatever Your Hand Finds to Do

¹⁰ Whatever your hand finds to do, ^(FL)do it with all your might; for there is no ^(FM)activity, planning, knowledge, or wisdom in ^(FN)Sheol where you are going.

¹¹ I again saw under the sun that the ^(FO)race is not to the swift and the ^(FP)battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise nor ^(FQ)wealth to the discerning, nor favor to the skillful; for time and ^(FR)chance overtake them all. ¹² For indeed, a person does not ^(FS)know his time: like fish that are caught in a treacherous net and ^(FT)birds caught in a snare, so the sons of mankind are ^(FU)ensnared at an evil time when it ^(FV)suddenly falls on them.

¹³ This too I saw as wisdom under the sun, and ^[co]it impressed me: ¹⁴ there ^(FW)was a small city with few men in it, and a great king came to it, surrounded it, and constructed large siegeworks against it. ¹⁵ But there was found in it a ^(FX)poor wise man, and he ^[cp]saved the city ^(FY)by his wisdom. Yet ^(FZ)no one remembered that poor man. ¹⁶ So I said, “^(GA)Wisdom is better than strength.” But the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are ^[cq]ignored. ¹⁷ The ^(GB)words of the wise heard in calm are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. ^18 (GC)Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but ^(GD)one sinner destroys much good.

A Little Foolishness

10 Dead flies turn a ^(GE)perfumer’s oil rancid, so a little foolishness is more ^[cr]potent than wisdom and honor. ² A wise person’s heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish ^(GF)person’s heart directs him toward the left. ³ Even when the fool walks along the road, his ^[cs]sense is lacking, and he ^[ct](GG)demonstrates to everyone that he is a fool. ⁴ If the ruler’s ^[cu]temper rises against you, ^(GH)do not abandon your place, because ^(GI)composure puts great offenses to rest.

⁵ There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like a mistake that proceeds from the ruler: ^6 (GJ)foolishness is set in many exalted places while the rich sit in humble places. ⁷ I have seen ^(GK)slaves riding ^(GL)on horses and princes walking like slaves on the land.

^8 (GM)One who digs a pit may fall into it, and a ^(GN)serpent may bite one who breaks through a wall. ⁹ One who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and one who splits logs may be endangered by them. ¹⁰ If the ^[cv]axe is dull and he does not sharpen its ^[cw]edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of bringing success. ¹¹ If the serpent bites ^[cx](GO)before being charmed, there is no benefit for the charmer. ^12 (GP)Words from the mouth of a wise person are gracious, while the lips of a ^(GQ)fool consume him; ¹³ the beginning of ^[cy]his talking is foolishness, and the end of ^[cz]it is evil ^(GR)insanity. ¹⁴ Yet the ^(GS)fool multiplies words. No person knows what will happen, and who can tell him ^(GT)what will come after him? ¹⁵ The labor of ^[da]a fool makes him so weary that he does not even know how to go to a city. ¹⁶ Woe to you, land whose ^(GU)king is a boy, and whose princes ^[db]feast in the morning. ¹⁷ Blessed are you, land whose king is of nobility, and whose princes eat at the appropriate time—for strength and not for ^(GV)drunkenness. ¹⁸ Through ^(GW)extreme laziness the rafters sag, and through idleness the house leaks. ¹⁹ People prepare a meal for enjoyment, ^(GX)wine makes life joyful, and ^(GY)money ^[dc]is the answer to everything. ²⁰ Furthermore, ^(GZ)in your bedroom do not ^(HA)curse a king, and in your sleeping rooms do not curse a rich person; for a bird of the sky will bring the sound, and the winged one will make your word known.

Cast Your Bread on the Waters

11 ^(HB)Cast your bread on the surface of the waters, for you ^(HC)will find it ^[dd]after many days. ^2 (HD)Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what ^(HE)misfortune may occur on the earth. ³ If the clouds are full, they pour out rain on the earth; and whether a tree falls toward the south or toward the north, wherever the tree falls, there it ^[de]lies. ⁴ One who watches the wind will not sow and one who looks at the clouds will not harvest. ⁵ Just as you do not ^(HF)know the path of the ^[df]wind, and ^(HG)how bones are formed in the womb of the ^[dg]pregnant woman, so you do not ^(HH)know the activity of God who makes everything.

⁶ Sow your seed ^(HI)in the morning and do not ^[dh]be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether ^[di]one or the other will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good.

⁷ The light is pleasant, and it is good for the eyes to ^(HJ)see the sun. ⁸ Indeed, if a person lives many years, let him ^(HK)rejoice in them all; but let him remember the ^(HL)days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything that is to come will be futility.

⁹ Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the ^[dj]impulses of your heart and the ^[dk](HM)desires of your eyes. Yet know that ^(HN)God will bring you to judgment for all these things. ¹⁰ So remove ^[dl]sorrow from your heart and keep ^[dm](HO)pain away from your body, because childhood and the prime of life are ^[dn]fleeting.