Ecclesiastes 3-5

English Standard Version

A Time for Everything

3 For everything there is a season, and ^(A)a time for every matter under heaven:

The God-Given Task

⁹ What ^(M)gain has the worker from his toil? ¹⁰ I have seen ^(N)the business that ^(O)God has given to the children of man to be busy with. ¹¹ He has ^(P)made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot ^(Q)find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. ¹² I perceived that there is ^(R)nothing better for them than to be joyful and to ^(S)do good as long as they live; ¹³ also ^(T)that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is ^(U)God's gift to man.

¹⁴ I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; ^(V)nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. ¹⁵ That which is, ^(W)already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God ^(X)seeks what has been driven away.^[a]

From Dust to Dust

¹⁶ Moreover, ^(Y)I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even ^(Z)there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness. ¹⁷ I said in my heart, ^(AA)God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is ^(AB)a time for every matter and for every work. ¹⁸ I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but ^(AC)beasts. ^19 (AD)For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity.^{[b] 20} All go to one place. All are from ^(AE)the dust, and to dust all return. ²¹ Who knows whether ^(AF)the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth? ²² So I saw that there is ^(AG)nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for ^(AH)that is his lot. Who can bring him to see ^(AI)what will be after him?

Evil Under the Sun

4 ^(AJ)Again I ^(AK)saw all ^(AL)the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had ^(AM)no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them. ² And I ^(AN)thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive. ³ But ^(AO)better than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.

⁴ Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man's envy of his neighbor. This also is ^(AP)vanity^[c] and a striving after wind.

⁵ The fool ^(AQ)folds his hands and ^(AR)eats his own flesh.

^6 (AS)Better is a handful of ^(AT)quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.

^7 (AU)Again, I saw vanity under the sun: ⁸ one person who has no other, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his ^(AV)eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, ^(AW)“For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vanity and an unhappy ^(AX)business.

⁹ Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. ¹⁰ For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! ¹¹ Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, ^(AY)but how can one keep warm alone? ¹² And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

¹³ Better was ^(AZ)a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how ^(BA)to take advice. ¹⁴ For he went ^(BB)from prison to the throne, though in his own kingdom he had been born poor. ¹⁵ I saw all the living who move about under the sun, along with that^[d] youth who was to stand in the king's^[e] place. ¹⁶ There was no end of all the people, all of whom he led. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is ^(BC)vanity and a striving after wind.

Fear God

5 ^{[f] (BD)}Guard your steps when you go to ^(BE)the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to ^(BF)offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. ^2 [g] Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore ^(BG)let your words be few. ³ For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with ^(BH)many words.

⁴ When ^(BI)you vow a vow to God, ^(BJ)do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. ^(BK)Pay what you vow. ^5 (BL)It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. ⁶ Let not your mouth lead you^[h] into sin, and do not say before ^(BM)the messenger^[i] that it was ^(BN)a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? ⁷ For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity;^[j] but^{[k] (BO)}God is the one you must fear.

The Vanity of Wealth and Honor

^8 (BP)If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, ^(BQ)do not be amazed at the matter, ^(BR)for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. ⁹ But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields.^[l]

¹⁰ He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. ¹¹ When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes? ¹² Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.

^13 (BS)There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, ¹⁴ and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand. ^15 (BT)As he came from his mother's womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. ¹⁶ This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what ^(BU)gain is there to him who ^(BV)toils for the wind? ¹⁷ Moreover, all his days he ^(BW)eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger.

¹⁸ Behold, what I have seen to be ^(BX)good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment^[m] in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his ^(BY)lot. ¹⁹ Everyone also to whom ^(BZ)God has given ^(CA)wealth and possessions ^(CB)and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is ^(CC)the gift of God. ²⁰ For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.