Ecclesiastes 3:14-21

English Standard Version

¹⁴ I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; ^(A)nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. ¹⁵ That which is, ^(B)already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God ^(C)seeks what has been driven away.^[a]

From Dust to Dust

¹⁶ Moreover, ^(D)I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even ^(E)there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness. ¹⁷ I said in my heart, ^(F)God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is ^(G)a time for every matter and for every work. 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 ^(H)beasts. ^19 (I)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] 20} All go to one place. All are from ^(J)the dust, and to dust all return. ²¹ Who knows whether ^(K)the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth?