Scriptures
Ecclesiastes 3


Chapter 3

To every thing there is a season—Whatever God does, it will be forever—God will judge the righteous and the wicked.

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?