To Everything There Is a Season

1  לַכֹּ֖ל (To everything) זְמָ֑ן (there is a season),

וְעֵ֥ת (and a time) לְכָל־ (for every) חֵ֖פֶץ (thing desired) תַּ֥חַת (under) הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ס (the heavens):

2  עֵ֥ת (A time) לָלֶ֖דֶת (to give birth) וְעֵ֣ת (and a time) לָמ֑וּת (to die),

עֵ֣ת (a time) לָטַ֔עַת (to plant) וְעֵ֖ת (and a time) לַעֲק֥וֹר (to pluck up) נָטֽוּעַ׃ (the planted),

3  עֵ֤ת (a time) לַהֲרוֹג֙ (to kill) וְעֵ֣ת (and a time) לִרְפּ֔וֹא (to heal),

עֵ֥ת (a time) לִפְר֖וֹץ (to break down) וְעֵ֥ת (and a time) לִבְנֽוֹת׃ (to build up),

4  עֵ֤ת (a time) לִבְכּוֹת֙ (to weep) וְעֵ֣ת (and a time) לִשְׂח֔וֹק (to laugh),

עֵ֥ת (a time) סְפ֖וֹד (to mourn) וְעֵ֥ת (and a time) רְקֽוֹד׃ (to dance),

5  עֵ֚ת (a time) לְהַשְׁלִ֣יךְ (to cast away) אֲבָנִ֔ים (stones) וְעֵ֖ת (and a time) כְּנ֣וֹס (to gather) אֲבָנִ֑ים (stones),

עֵ֣ת (a time) לַחֲב֔וֹק (to embrace) וְעֵ֖ת (and a time) לִרְחֹ֥ק (to refrain) מֵחַבֵּֽק׃ (from embracing),

6  עֵ֤ת (a time) לְבַקֵּשׁ֙ (to seek) וְעֵ֣ת (and a time) לְאַבֵּ֔ד (to lose),

עֵ֥ת (a time) לִשְׁמ֖וֹר (to keep something) וְעֵ֥ת (and a time) לְהַשְׁלִֽיךְ׃ (to cast away),

7  עֵ֤ת (a time) לִקְר֙וֹעַ֙ (to tear) וְעֵ֣ת (and a time) לִתְפּ֔וֹר (to sew),

עֵ֥ת (a time) לַחֲשׁ֖וֹת (to be silent) וְעֵ֥ת (and a time) לְדַבֵּֽר׃ (to speak),

8  עֵ֤ת (a time) לֶֽאֱהֹב֙ (to love) וְעֵ֣ת (and a time) לִשְׂנֹ֔א (to hate),

עֵ֥ת (a time) מִלְחָמָ֖ה (of war) וְעֵ֥ת (and a time) שָׁלֽוֹם׃ס (of peace).

God’s Works Remain Forever

9  מַה־ (What) יִּתְרוֹן֙ (is the profit) הָֽעוֹשֶׂ֔ה (of the one making) בַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר (in that which) ה֥וּא (he) עָמֵֽל׃ (toils)? 10  רָאִ֣יתִי (I have seen) אֶת־ (-) הָֽעִנְיָ֗ן (the task) אֲשֶׁ֨ר (that) נָתַ֧ן (has given) אֱלֹהִ֛ים (God) לִבְנֵ֥י (to the sons) הָאָדָ֖ם (of man) לַעֲנ֥וֹת (to be occupied) בּֽוֹ׃ (with it). 11  אֶת־ (-) הַכֹּ֥ל (every thing) עָשָׂ֖ה (He has made) יָפֶ֣ה (beautiful) בְעִתּ֑וֹ (in its time). גַּ֤ם (Also) אֶת־ (-) הָעֹלָם֙ (eternity) נָתַ֣ן (He has put) בְּלִבָּ֔ם (in their heart), מִבְּלִ֞י (without) אֲשֶׁ֧ר (which) לֹא־ (not) יִמְצָ֣א (can find out) הָאָדָ֗ם (a man) אֶת־ (-) הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֛ה (the work) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) עָשָׂ֥ה (has done) הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים (God) מֵרֹ֥אשׁ (from beginning) וְעַד־ (even to) סֽוֹף׃ (end).

12  יָדַ֕עְתִּי (I know) כִּ֛י (that) אֵ֥ין (there is nothing) ט֖וֹב (good) בָּ֑ם (for them) כִּ֣י (but) אִם־ (than) לִשְׂמ֔וֹחַ (to rejoice) וְלַעֲשׂ֥וֹת (and to do) ט֖וֹב (good) בְּחַיָּֽיו׃ (during their lives). 13  וְגַ֤ם (And also) כָּל־ (that every) הָאָדָם֙ (man) שֶׁיֹּאכַ֣ל (should eat) וְשָׁתָ֔ה (and drink) וְרָאָ֥ה (and see) ט֖וֹב (good) בְּכָל־ (in all) עֲמָל֑וֹ (his toil)— מַתַּ֥ת (is a gift) אֱלֹהִ֖ים (of God) הִֽיא׃ (it). 14  יָדַ֗עְתִּי (I know) כִּ֠י (that) כָּל־ (everything) אֲשֶׁ֨ר (that) יַעֲשֶׂ֤ה (does) הָאֱלֹהִים֙ (God), ה֚וּא (it) יִהְיֶ֣ה (will be) לְעוֹלָ֔ם (forever); עָלָיו֙ (to it) אֵ֣ין (nothing) לְהוֹסִ֔יף (can be added), וּמִמֶּ֖נּוּ (and from it) אֵ֣ין (nothing) לִגְרֹ֑עַ (can be diminished), וְהָאֱלֹהִ֣ים (and God) עָשָׂ֔ה (has done it) שֶׁיִּֽרְא֖וּ (that they should fear) מִלְּפָנָֽיו׃ (from before His face). 15  מַה־ (That) שֶּֽׁהָיָה֙ (which has been) כְּבָ֣ר (already) ה֔וּא (it is), וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר (and that which) לִהְי֖וֹת (is to be) כְּבָ֣ר (already) הָיָ֑ה (it has been), וְהָאֱלֹהִ֖ים (and God) יְבַקֵּ֥שׁ (requires) אֶת־ (-) נִרְדָּֽף׃ (that which is pursued).

From Dust to Dust

16  וְע֥וֹד (And again) רָאִ֖יתִי (did I see) תַּ֣חַת (under) הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ (the sun) מְק֤וֹם (that in the place) הַמִּשְׁפָּט֙ (of judgment), שָׁ֣מָּה (there) הָרֶ֔שַׁע (was wickedness), וּמְק֥וֹם (and in the place) הַצֶּ֖דֶק (of righteousness), שָׁ֥מָּה (there) הָרָֽשַׁע׃ (was wickedness). 17  אָמַ֤רְתִּֽי (Said) אֲנִי֙ (I) בְּלִבִּ֔י (in my heart), אֶת־ (-) הַצַּדִּיק֙ (The righteous) וְאֶת־ (and) הָ֣רָשָׁ֔ע (the wicked) יִשְׁפֹּ֖ט (will judge) הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים (God), כִּי־ (because) עֵ֣ת (a time) לְכָל־ (is to every) חֵ֔פֶץ (activity) וְעַ֥ל (and for) כָּל־ (every) הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה (work) שָֽׁם׃ (there).

18  אָמַ֤רְתִּֽי (Said) אֲנִי֙ (I) בְּלִבִּ֔י (in my heart), עַל־ (concerning) דִּבְרַת֙ (the manner) בְּנֵ֣י (of the sons) הָאָדָ֔ם (of man), לְבָרָ֖ם (Is testing them) הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים (God) וְלִרְא֕וֹת (that they might see) שְׁהֶם־ (that they) בְּהֵמָ֥ה (are beasts)— הֵ֖מָּה (they) לָהֶֽם׃ (themselves). 19  כִּי֩ (For) מִקְרֶ֨ה (an event) בְֽנֵי־ (is to the sons) הָאָדָ֜ם (of man), וּמִקְרֶ֣ה (and an event) הַבְּהֵמָ֗ה (is to the beasts) וּמִקְרֶ֤ה (and an event) אֶחָד֙ (one is) לָהֶ֔ם (for them both): כְּמ֥וֹת (As the death) זֶה֙ (of this one), כֵּ֣ן (so is) מ֣וֹת (the death) זֶ֔ה (of this one), וְר֥וּחַ (and a breath) אֶחָ֖ד (one) לַכֹּ֑ל (is to all), וּמוֹתַ֨ר (and the advantage) הָאָדָ֤ם (of the man) מִן־ (over) הַבְּהֵמָה֙ (the beast) אָ֔יִן (is nothing), כִּ֥י (for) הַכֹּ֖ל (all) הָֽבֶל׃ (is vapor). 20  הַכֹּ֥ל (All) הוֹלֵ֖ךְ (are going) אֶל־ (to) מָק֣וֹם (place) אֶחָ֑ד (one); הַכֹּל֙ (all) הָיָ֣ה (are) מִן־ (from) הֶֽעָפָ֔ר (the dust), וְהַכֹּ֖ל (and all) שָׁ֥ב (return) אֶל־ (to) הֶעָפָֽר׃ (the dust).

21  מִ֣י (Who) יוֹדֵ֗עַ (knows if) ר֚וּחַ (the spirit) בְּנֵ֣י (of the sons) הָאָדָ֔ם (of man), הָעֹלָ֥ה (is ascending) הִ֖יא (it) לְמָ֑עְלָה (upward), וְר֙וּחַ֙ (and the spirit) הַבְּהֵמָ֔ה (of the beast) הַיֹּרֶ֥דֶת (is desending) הִ֖יא (it) לְמַ֥טָּה (downward) לָאָֽרֶץ׃ (into the earth)? 22  וְרָאִ֗יתִי (And I saw) כִּ֣י (that) אֵ֥ין (nothing is) טוֹב֙ (better) מֵאֲשֶׁ֨ר (than that) יִשְׂמַ֤ח (should rejoice) הָאָדָם֙ (the man) בְּֽמַעֲשָׂ֔יו (in his own works), כִּי־ (for) ה֖וּא (that is) חֶלְק֑וֹ (his portion). כִּ֣י (For) מִ֤י (who) יְבִיאֶ֙נּוּ֙ (can bring him) לִרְא֔וֹת (to see) בְּמֶ֖ה (what) שֶׁיִּהְיֶ֥ה (will come) אַחֲרָֽיו׃ (after him).