A Time for Everything

For everything there is a season, and (A)a time for every matter under heaven:

a time to be born, and a time to (B)die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to (C)weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to (D)dance;
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;
a time to seek, and a time to (H)lose;
a time to keep, and a time to (I)cast away;
a time to (J)tear, and a time to sew;
a time to (K)keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to (L)hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.

The God-Given Task

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?

Notas al pie

  1. Ecclesiastes 3:15 Hebrew what has been pursued
  2. Ecclesiastes 3:19 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath” (see note on 1:2)

To every thing there is a zeman (time), and an et (season) for every matter under Shomayim;

An et (season) to be born, and an et (season) to die; an et (season) to plant, and an et (season) to uproot that which is planted;

An et (season) to kill, and an et (season) to heal; an et (season) to tear down, and an et (season) to build up;

An et (season) to weep, and an et (season) to laugh; an et (season) to mourn, and an et (season) to dance;

An et (season) to throw stones away, and an et (season) to gather stones together; an et (season) to embrace, and an et (season) to refrain from embracing;

An et (season) to look for, and an et (season) to lose; an et (season) to keep, and an et (season) to throw away;

An et (season) to tear, and an et (season) to mend; an et (season) to keep silent, and an et (season) to speak;

An et (season) to love, and an et (season) to hate; an et (season) of milchamah, and an et (season) of shalom.

What profit hath the worker from his amal (labor)?

10 I have seen the occupation, which Elohim hath given to the bnei HaAdam to keep them occupied.

11 Hashem hath made every thing yafeh in its et (season); also He hath set HaOlam in their lev, yet so that no adam can find out the ma’aseh that HaElohim hath done from the beginning to the end.

12 I have da’as that there is nothing better for adam, than that they have simchah and do tov while they live.

13 And also that kol haAdam should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his amal. This is a gift of Elohim.

14 I have da’as that, all that HaElohim doeth will endure l’olam; nothing can be added to it, nor any thing taken from it; HaElohim doeth it, that men should fear before Him.

15 That which is hath been already; and that which is to be hath already been; and HaElohim will call that which is past to account.

16 And moreover I saw under the shemesh that in the Mekom Mishpat (place of judgment) resha (wickedness) was there; and in the Mekom Tzedek, resha (wickedness) was there.

17 I said in mine lev, HaElohim shall judge the tzaddik and the resha (wicked); for an et (season) for every matter and for every ma’aseh is there.

18 I said in mine lev, As for bnei haAdam, HaElohim tests them, that they might see that they themselves are like beheimah.

19 For bnei haAdam and beheimah share one and same mikreh (fortune); as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that the adam hath no advantage above the beheimah; for all is hevel.

20 All go unto mekom echad; all are of the afahr (dust), and all return to the afahr again.

21 Who hath da’as of the ruach bnei haAdam that goeth upward, and the ruach habeheimah that goeth downward to ha’aretz [see 12:7]?

22 Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better than that the adam find simchah in his ma’asim; for that is his chelek; for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?