1To every thing there is a season , and a time to every purpose under the heaven : 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 break 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 get , and a time to lose ; a time to keep , and a time to cast away ; 7A time to rend , and a time to sew ; a time to keep silence , and a time to speak ; 8A time to love , and a time to hate ; a time of war , and a time of peace .
The Human Experience and Its Limitations
9What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth ? 10I have seen the travail , which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it. 11He hath made every thing 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 . 12I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice , and to do good in his life . 13And also that every man should eat and drink , and enjoy the good of all his labour , it is the gift of God . 14I 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 it , that men should fear before him. 15That which hath been is now ; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past .
The Eternal Perspective
16And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment , that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness , that iniquity was there. 17I said in mine heart , God shall judge the righteous and the wicked : for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work . 18I 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 . 19For 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 is vanity . 20All go unto one place ; all are of the dust , and all turn to dust again . 21Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward , and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth ? 22Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better , than that a man should rejoice in his own works ; for that is his portion : for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?