Ecclesiastes or, the Preacher

 1 To every thing there is a ^aseason, and a ^btime to every purpose under the heaven:

 2 A ^atime to be born, and a time to ^bdie; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

 4 A time to weep, and a time to ^alaugh; a time to ^bmourn, and a time to dance;

 5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

 6 A time to ^aget, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

 7 A time to ^arend, and a time to sew; a time to keep ^bsilence, and a time to speak;

 8 A time to love, and a time to ^ahate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

 9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he ^alaboureth?

 10 I have seen the ^atravail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be ^bexercised in it.

 11 He hath made every thing ^abeautiful in his time: also ^bhe hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the ^cwork that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

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

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

 14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be ^afor ^bever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should ^cfear before him.

 15 That which hath been is ^anow; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.

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

 17 I said in mine heart, God shall ^ajudge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

 18 I said in mine heart concerning the ^aestate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are ^bbeasts.

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

 20 All go unto one place; all are of the ^adust, and all turn to dust again.

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

 22 Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own ^aworks; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?