English Standard Version

New American Standard Bible

A Time for Everything

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

1

A Time for Everything

There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven —

2

a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;

2

A time to give birth and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.

3

a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;

3

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

4

a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

4

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;

5

A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.

6

a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

6

A time to search and a time to give up as lost;
A time to keep and a time to throw away.

7

a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

7

A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;
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.

8

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

9

The God-Given Task

What gain has the worker from his toil?

9

What profit is there to the worker from that in which he toils?

10

I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with.

10

I have seen the task which God has given the sons of men with which to occupy themselves.

11

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.

11

God Set Eternity in the Heart of Man

He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.

12

I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live;

12

I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime;

13

also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil — this is God’s gift to man.

13

moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor — it is the gift of God.

14

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.

14

I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him.

15

That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away.a

15

That which is has been already and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by.

16

From Dust to Dust

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.

16

Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.

17

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.

17

I said to myself, “God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man,” for a time for every matter and for every deed is there.

18

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.

18

I said to myself concerning the sons of men, “God has surely tested them in order for them to see that they are but beasts.”

19

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.b

19

For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is vanity.

20

All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return.

20

All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust.

21

Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth?

21

Who knows that the breath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth?

22

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?

22

I have seen that nothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities, for that is his lot. For who will bring him to see what will occur after him?

Parallel

English Standard Version

New American Standard Bible

Ecclesiastes 3

Ecclesiastes 3