Ecclesiastes 3 Parallel Bible Translations

Ecclesiastes 3 ▼
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ESV
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1 To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven: For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: To every <i>thing there is</i> a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every matter under heaven— There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up <i>that which is</i> planted; A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build, a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up. a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance. a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn 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, a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing. a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6 a time to search and a time to count as lost, a time to keep and a time to discard, a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to search and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep and a time to throw away. a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to be silent and a time to speak. a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. A time to love and a time to hate; A time for war and a time for peace. a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
9 What does the worker gain from his toil? What gain has the worker from his toil? What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth? What benefit <i>is there for</i> the worker <i>from that</i> in which he labors? What do workers gain from their toil?
10 I have seen the burden that God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them. I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it. I have seen the task which God has given the sons of mankind with which to occupy themselves. I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race.
11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom the work that God has done from beginning to end. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. He hath made every <i>thing</i> beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, without <i>the possibility that</i> mankind will find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and do good while they live, I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; I know that <i>there is</i> no good in them, but for <i>a man</i> to rejoice, and to do good in his life. I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime; I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live.
13 and also that every man should eat and drink and find satisfaction in all his labor— this is the gift of God. also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man. And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it <i>is</i> the gift of God. moreover, that every person who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—this is the gift of God. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.
14 I know that everything God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God does it so that they should fear Him. I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth <i>it</i>, that <i>men</i> should fear before him. I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it. And God has <i>so</i> worked, that <i>people</i> will fear Him. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.
15 What exists has already been, and what will be has already been, for God will call to account what has passed. That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away. That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past. That <i>which is,</i> is what has already been, and that which will be has already been; and God seeks what has passed by. Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account.
16 Furthermore, I saw under the sun that in the place of judgment there is wickedness, and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness. Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness. And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, <i>that</i> wickedness <i>was</i> there; and the place of righteousness, <i>that</i> iniquity <i>was</i> there. Furthermore, I have seen under the sun <i>that</i> in the place of justice there is wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness. And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment—wickedness was there, in the place of justice—wickedness was there.
17 I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked, since there is a time for every activity and every deed.” I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work. I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for <i>there is</i> a time there for every purpose and for every work. I said to myself, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked,” for a time for every matter and for every deed is there. I said to myself, “God will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed.”
18 I said to myself, “As for the sons of men, God tests them so that they may see for themselves that they are but beasts.” I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but beasts. I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts. I said to myself regarding the sons of mankind, “God is testing them in order for them to see that they are <i>as</i> animals, they to themselves.” I also said to myself, “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals.
19 For the fates of both men and beasts are the same: As one dies, so dies the other— they all have the same breath. Man has no advantage over the animals, since everything is futile. For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity. For that which befalleth 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 <i>is</i> vanity. For the fate of the sons of mankind and the fate of animals is the same. As one dies, so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath, and there is no advantage for mankind over animals, for all is futility. Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless.
20 All go to one place; all come from dust, and all return to dust. All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return. All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust. All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return.
21 Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and the spirit of the animal descends into the earth? Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth? Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? Who knows that the spirit of the sons of mankind ascends upward and the spirit of the animal descends downward to the earth? Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?”
22 I have seen that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will come after him? So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot. Who can bring him to see what will be after him? Wherefore I perceive that <i>there is</i> nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that <i>is</i> his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him? I have seen that nothing is better than when a person is happy in his activities, for that is his lot. For who will bring him to see what will occur after him? So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?
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