- 1
- To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heavens:
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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;
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- 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;
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- A time to love, and a time to hate;
A time of war, and a time of peace.
- 9
- What profit hath he that worketh from that wherein he laboureth?
- 10
- I have seen the travail that God hath given to the sons of men to toil in.
- 11
- He hath made everything beautiful in its time;
also he hath set the world in their heart, so that man findeth not out from the beginning to the end the work that God doeth.
- 12
- I know that there is nothing good for them but to rejoice and to do well in their life;
- 13
- yea also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labour, it is the gift of God.
- 14
- I know that whatever God doeth, it shall be for ever;
there is nothing to be added to it, nor anything to be taken from it; and God doeth [it], that [men] should fear before him.
- 15
- That which is was long ago, and that which is to be hath already been;
and God bringeth back again that which is past.
- 16
- And moreover I saw under the sun, that in the place of judgment, wickedness was there;
and in the place of righteousness, wickedness was there.
- 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.
- 18
- I said in my heart, It is thus with the children of men, that God may prove them, and that they should see that they themselves are but beasts.
- 19
- For what befalleth the children of men befalleth beasts;
even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other, and they have all one breath; and man hath no pre-eminence above the 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 the children of men?
Doth it go upwards? and the spirit of the beasts, doth it go downwards to the earth?
- 22
- And I have seen that there is nothing better than that man should rejoice in his own works;
for that is his portion; for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
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