Ecclesiastes 3 — WEBBE
3Verse 1For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:Verse 2a time to be born,and a time to die;a time to plant,and a time to pluck up that which is planted;Verse 3a time to kill,and a time to heal;a time to break down,and a time to build up;Verse 4a time to weep,and a time to laugh;a time to mourn,and a time to dance;Verse 5a time to cast away stones,and a time to gather stones together;a time to embrace,and a time to refrain from embracing;Verse 6a time to seek,and a time to lose;a time to keep,and a time to cast away;Verse 7a time to tear,and a time to sew;a time to keep silence,and a time to speak;Verse 8a time to love,and a time to hate;a time for war,and a time for peace.Verse 9What profit has he who works in that in which he labours?Verse 10I have seen the burden which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.Verse 11He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts, yet so that man can’t find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end.Verse 12I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live.Verse 13Also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labour, is the gift of God.Verse 14I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; and God has done it, that men should fear before him.Verse 15That which is has been long ago, and that which is to be has been long ago. God seeks again that which is passed away.Verse 16Moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there.Verse 17I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”Verse 18I said in my heart, “As for the sons of men, God tests them, so that they may see that they themselves are like animals.Verse 19For that which happens to the sons of men happens to animals. Even one thing happens to them. As the one dies, so the other dies. Yes, they have all one breath; and man has no advantage over the animals, for all is vanity.Verse 20All go to one place. All are from the dust, and all turn to dust again.Verse 21Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes downward to the earth?”Verse 22Therefore I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his works, for that is his portion; for who can bring him to see what will be after him?