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- To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
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- 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
- A time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break 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;
- 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;
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- A time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
- 7
- A time to rend, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
- 8
- A time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.
- 9
- What profit hath he that worketh in that he laboureth?
- 10
- I have seen the task which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.
- 11
- He hath made every thing beautiful in its time;
also He hath set the world in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end.
- 12
- I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to get pleasure so long as they live.
- 13
- But also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy pleasure for all his labour, is the gift of God.
- 14
- I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever;
nothing can be added to it, nor any thing taken from it;
and God hath so made it, that men should fear before Him.
- 15
- That which is hath been long ago, and that which is to be hath already been;
and God seeketh that which is pursued.
- 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.
- 17
- I said in my heart: "The righteous and the wicked God will judge;
for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work."
- 18
- I said in my heart: "It is because of the sons of men, that God may sift them, and that they may see that they themselves are but as beasts."
- 19
- 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 man hath no pre-eminence above a beast;
for all is vanity.
- 20
- All go unto one place;
all are of the dust, and all return to dust.
- 21
- Who knoweth the spirit of man whether it goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast whether it goeth downward to the earth?
- 22
- Wherefore I perceived that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works;
for that is his portion;
for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
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