¶ To every thing¹ there is a season, and a time to every purpose under² the heaven:

A time to be born³, and a time⁴ to die; a time to plant⁵, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill⁶, and a time to heal⁷; a time to break⁸ down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep⁹, and a time to laugh¹⁰; a time to mourn, and a time to dance¹¹;

A time to cast¹² away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace¹³, and a time to refrain from¹⁴ embracing;

A time to get¹⁵, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast¹⁷ away;

A time to rend¹⁸, and a time to sew; a time to keep¹⁹ silence, and a time to speak²⁰;

A time to love²¹, and a time to hate²²; a time of war²³, and a time of peace.

²⁴What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?

¶²⁵I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.

¶ He hath made²⁶ every thing beautiful in his time: also²⁷ he hath set the world in their heart, so²⁸ that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

I know that there is no good in them, but²⁹ for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.

³⁰And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

I know that, whatsoever³¹ God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing³² can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it,³³ that men should fear before him.

That which hath³⁴ been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past³⁵.

¶³⁶And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.

I said³⁷ in mine heart, God³⁸ shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for³⁹ there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

I said in mine heart concerning⁴⁰ the estate of the sons of men, that God⁴¹ might manifest them, and that⁴² they might see that they themselves are beasts.

For that which⁴³ befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the⁴⁴ one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for⁴⁵ all is vanity.

¶ All go⁴⁶ unto one place; all are⁴⁷ of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

Who knoweth⁴⁸ the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing⁵⁰ better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who⁵¹ shall bring him to see what shall be after him?