2A time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

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

4A time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance;

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

6A time to lose and a time to seek; a time to tie up and a time to untie;

7A time to rend and a time to sew; a time to keep silent and a time to speak;

8A time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace.

9What profit has the worker in his labor? 10I have seen the toil which the LORD has given to the sons of men to be engaged therewith.

11He has made everything beautiful in its time; also he has made the world dear to man's heart, so that no man can find out the works which the LORD has done from the beginning to the end.

12I know that there is no good in worldly things, but for men to rejoice and to do good in their lives. 13And also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor; it is the gift of the LORD. 14I know that whatsoever the LORD does, it shall be for ever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it; and the LORD has so made it that men should reverence him. 15That which is now, already has been; and that which is to be, has already been; and God will avenge him who has been persecuted.

16And moreover, I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there. 17I said in my heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time for every purpose and for every work. 18I meditated in my heart concerning the estate of the sons of men whom God had created, and saw that they are like beasts. 19For the same misfortune which befalls the sons of men befalls beasts; even one misfortune befalls them: as the one dies, so dies the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that man has no preeminence over the beast; for all is vanity. 20All go to one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. 21Who knows whether the spirit of men goes upward and the spirit of the beasts goes downward under the earth? 22Wherefore I saw that there is nothing better in them but that man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion; for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?