3:1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:
3:2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3:3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
3:4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
3:5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
3:6 a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
3:7 a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silent, and a time to speak;
3:8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.
3:9 What profit has he who works in that in which he labors?
3:10 I have seen the travail which God has given to the sons of man to be exercised with.
3:11 He has made everything beautiful in its time: also he has set eternity in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end.
3:12 I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to do good so long as they live.
3:13 And also that all of man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God.
3:14 I know that, whatever God does, it will be forever: nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; and God has done it, that men should fear before him.
3:15 That which is has been long ago; and that which is to be has long ago been: and God seeks again that which has passed away.
3:16 And moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there.
3:17 I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.
3:18 I said in my heart, [It is] because of the sons of man, that God may prove them, and that they may see that they themselves are [but as] beasts.
3:19 For that which befalls the sons of man befalls beasts; even one thing befalls them: as the one dies, so dies the other; yes, they all have one breath; and man has no preeminence above the beasts: for all is vanity.
3:20 All go to one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
3:21 Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the beast, whether it goes downward to the earth?
3:22 Therefore I saw that there is nothing better, than that man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion: for who will bring him [back] to see what will be after him?