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A Time for Everything

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

a time to be born, and a time to (B)die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to (C)weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to (D)dance;
a time to (E)cast away stones, and a time to (F)gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to (G)refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to (H)lose;
a time to keep, and a time to (I)cast away;
a time to (J)tear, and a time to sew;
a time to (K)keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to (L)hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.

The God-Given Task

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 for ever; (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. 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 upwards 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

(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. And I (AN)thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive. 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.

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

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

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

(AU)Again, I saw vanity under the sun: 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.

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[b] youth who was to stand in the king's[c] 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

[d] (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. [e] 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. For a dream comes with much busyness, and a fool's voice with (BH)many words.

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. (BL)It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. Let not your mouth lead you[f] into sin, and do not say before (BM)the messenger[g] that it was (BN)a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity;[h] but (BO)God is the one you must fear.

The Vanity of Wealth and Honour

(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. But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields.[i]

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 labourer, 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[j] 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.

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 3:15 Hebrew what has been pursued
  2. Ecclesiastes 4:15 Hebrew the second
  3. Ecclesiastes 4:15 Hebrew his
  4. Ecclesiastes 5:1 Ch 4:17 in Hebrew
  5. Ecclesiastes 5:2 Ch 5:1 in Hebrew
  6. Ecclesiastes 5:6 Hebrew your flesh
  7. Ecclesiastes 5:6 Or angel
  8. Ecclesiastes 5:7 Or For when dreams and vanities increase, words also grow many
  9. Ecclesiastes 5:9 The meaning of the Hebrew verse is uncertain
  10. Ecclesiastes 5:18 Or and see good