Ecclesiastes 3-4

Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Mystery of Time

⁹ What does the worker gain from his struggles?^{(I) 10} I have seen the task that God has given people to keep them occupied.^{(J) 11} He has made everything appropriate^[b] in its time.^(K) He has also put eternity in their hearts,^[c] but man cannot discover the work God has done from beginning to end.^{(L) 12} I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and enjoy the^[d] good life. ¹³ It is also the gift of God whenever anyone eats, drinks, and enjoys all his efforts.^{(M) 14} I know that all God does will last forever; there is no adding to it or taking from it.^(N) God works so that people will be in awe of Him.^{(O) 15} Whatever is, has already been,^(P) and whatever will be, already is. God repeats what has passed.^[e]

The Mystery of Injustice and Death

¹⁶ I also observed under the sun: there is wickedness at the place of judgment and there is wickedness at the place of righteousness.^{(Q) 17} I said to myself, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked,^(R) since there is a time for every activity and every work.”^{(S) 18} I said to myself, “This happens concerning people, so that God may test them and they may see for themselves that they are like animals.”^{(T) 19} For the fate of people and the fate of animals is the same.^(U) As one dies, so dies the other; they all have the same breath. People have no advantage over animals since everything is futile. ²⁰ All are going to the same place; all come from dust, and all return to dust.^{(V) 21} Who knows if the spirit of people rises upward and the spirit of animals goes downward to the earth? ²² I have seen that there is nothing better than for a person to enjoy his activities^(W) because that is his reward. For who can enable him to see what will happen after he dies?^[f](X)

4 Again, I observed all the acts of oppression being done under the sun.^(Y) Look at the tears of those who are oppressed; they have no one to comfort them. Power is with those who oppress them; they have no one to comfort them. ² So I admired the dead,^(Z) who have already died, more than the living, who are still alive. ³ But better than either of them is the one who has not yet existed,^(AA) who has not seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.

The Loneliness of Wealth

⁴ I saw that all labor and all skillful work is due to a man’s jealousy of his friend.^(AB) This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.^(AC)

⁷ Again, I saw futility under the sun: ⁸ There is a person without a companion,^[g] without even a son or brother, and though there is no end to all his struggles, his eyes are still not content with riches.^(AG) “So who am I struggling for,” he asks, “and depriving myself from good?” This too is futile and a miserable task.

⁹ Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. ¹⁰ For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up. ¹¹ Also, if two lie down together, they can keep warm; but how can one person alone keep warm?^{(AH) 12} And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.

¹³ Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer pays attention to warnings.^{(AI) 14} For he came from prison to be king,^(AJ) even though he was born poor in his kingdom. ¹⁵ I saw all the living, who move about under the sun, follow^[h] a second youth who succeeds him. ¹⁶ There is no limit to all the people who were before them, yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.^(AK)