Ecclesiastes 3
English Standard Version
A Time for Everything
3 For everything there is a season, and (A)a time for every matter under heaven:
2 a time to be born, and a time to (B)die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what 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 (C)weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to (D)dance;
5 a time to (E)cast away stones, and a time to (F)gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to (G)refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek, and a time to (H)lose;
a time to keep, and a time to (I)cast away;
7 a time to (J)tear, and a time to sew;
a time to (K)keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 a time to love, and a time to (L)hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.
The God-Given Task
9 What (M)gain has the worker from his toil? 10 I have seen (N)the business that (O)God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 11 He has (P)made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot (Q)find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 12 I perceived that there is (R)nothing better for them than to be joyful and to (S)do good as long as they live; 13 also (T)that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is (U)God's gift to man.
14 I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; (V)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, (W)already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God (X)seeks what has been driven away.[a]
From Dust to Dust
16 Moreover, (Y)I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even (Z)there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness. 17 I said in my heart, (AA)God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is (AB)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 (AC)beasts. 19 (AD)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 (AE)the dust, and to dust all return. 21 Who knows whether (AF)the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth? 22 So I saw that there is (AG)nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for (AH)that is his lot. Who can bring him to see (AI)what will be after him?
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 3:15 Hebrew what has been pursued
- Ecclesiastes 3:19 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath” (see note on 1:2)
Ecclesiastes 3
Evangelical Heritage Version
Everything in Its Time
3
For everything there is an appointed time.
There is an appropriate time for every activity under heaven:
2 a time to give birth and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot plants,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones,
a time to embrace and a time not to embrace,
6 a time to search and a time to stop searching,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to rip and a time to sew,
a time to be silent 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 does the worker gain from his hard work? 10 I have seen the task which God has given the children of Adam to keep them busy. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Yes, he has also put eternity in their hearts, yet it is not possible for man to understand the work that God has done from beginning to end.
12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to be happy and enjoy good things[a] while they live. 13 Also, when anyone eats, drinks, and experiences the good things that his hard work leads to—this is God’s gift.
14 I know that everything God does will last forever. Nothing can be added to it or taken away from it. God acts so that people will fear him. 15 Whatever exists now has already been, and whatever will be has already been. God makes whatever has already passed come again.[b]
There Is No Justice
16 I saw something else under the sun: In the place where justice should be, there was wickedness, and in the place for righteousness, there was wickedness. 17 I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked. Yes, there will be a time for every case to be settled before God.”[c]
18 So I said in my heart, “This is done so that God can test the children of Adam, so that they can see what animals they are if left to themselves.”[d] 19 For the outcome[e] for the children of Adam and the outcome for animals is the same. One dies just like the other. All have the same breath. Mankind has no advantage over animals, because everything is vapor. 20 All go to the same place. All were from the dust, and to the dust all return. 21 Who knows whether the spirit[f] of the man goes upward, and the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?
22 So I saw that there is nothing better for man than to be happy in his activities, since that is his reward.[g] For who will show him what there will be after him?
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 3:12 Or do good
- Ecclesiastes 3:15 Or will call the past to account. The meaning of the Hebrew phrase is uncertain.
- Ecclesiastes 3:17 Literally a time for every matter, for every action there
- Ecclesiastes 3:18 There is considerable difference of opinion about the meaning of this verse.
- Ecclesiastes 3:19 Or destination
- Ecclesiastes 3:21 Or breath
- Ecclesiastes 3:22 Or lot
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.