Ecclesiastes 3-4

New American Standard Bible

A Time for Everything

3 There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a ^(A)time for every matter under heaven—

^9 (I)What benefit is there for the worker from that in which he labors? ¹⁰ I have seen the ^(J)task which God has given the sons of mankind with which to ^[a]occupy themselves.

God Set Eternity in the Heart of Mankind

¹¹ He has ^(K)made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, without the possibility that mankind ^(L)will find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.

¹² I know that there is ^(M)nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime; ¹³ moreover, that every person who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—this is the ^(N)gift of God. 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. And God has so worked, that people will ^[b](O)fear Him. ^15 (P)That which is, is what has already been, and that which will be has already been; and God ^[c]seeks what has passed by.

¹⁶ Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is ^(Q)wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness. ¹⁷ I said ^[d]to myself, “^(R)God will judge the righteous and the wicked,” for a ^(S)time for every matter and for every deed ^[e]is there. ¹⁸ I said ^[f]to myself regarding the sons of mankind, “God is testing them in order for them to see that they are as ^(T)animals, they to themselves.” ^19 (U)For the fate of the sons of mankind and the fate of animals ^[g]is the same. As one dies, so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath, and there is no advantage for mankind over animals, for all is futility. ²⁰ All go to the same place. All came from the ^(V)dust and all return to the dust. ²¹ Who knows that the ^(W)spirit of the sons of mankind ascends upward and the spirit of the animal descends downward to the earth? ²² I have seen that ^(X)nothing is better than when a person is happy in his activities, for that is his ^[h]lot. For who will bring him to see ^(Y)what will occur after him?

The Evils of Oppression

4 Then I looked again at all the acts of ^(Z)oppression which were being done under the sun. And behold, I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had ^(AA)no one to comfort them; and power was on the side of their oppressors, but they had no one to comfort them. ² So ^(AB)I congratulated the dead who are already dead, more than the living who are still living. ³ But ^(AC)better off than both of them is the one who has never existed, who has never seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.

⁴ I have seen that every labor and every ^(AD)skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a person and his neighbor. This too is ^(AE)futility and striving after wind. ⁵ The fool ^(AF)folds his hands and ^(AG)consumes his own flesh. ⁶ One hand full of rest is ^(AH)better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.

⁷ Then I looked again at futility under the sun. ⁸ There was a man without a ^[i]dependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, ^(AI)his eyes were not satisfied with riches, and he never asked, “And ^(AJ)for whom do I labor and deprive myself of pleasure?” This too is futility, and it is an ^(AK)unhappy task.

⁹ Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor; ¹⁰ for if ^[j]either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not ^[k]another to lift him up! ¹¹ Furthermore, if two lie down together they ^[l]keep warm, but ^(AL)how can one be warm alone? ¹² And if ^[m]one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

¹³ A ^(AM)poor yet wise youth is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive ^[n]instruction— ¹⁴ for he has come ^(AN)out of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom. ¹⁵ I have seen all those living under the sun move to the side of the second youth who ^[o]replaces him. ¹⁶ There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them. Even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him; for this too is ^(AO)futility and striving after wind.