Ecclesiastes 3:1-17
1599 Geneva Bible
3 1 All things have their time. 14 The works of God are perfect, and cause us to fear him. 17 God shall judge both the just and unjust.
1 To all things there is an [a]appointed time, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.
2 A time to be born, and a time to die: a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.
3 A time to slay, and a time to heal: a time to break 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 cast away stones, and a time to gather stones: a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embracing.
6 A time to seek, and a time to lose: a time to keep, and a time to cast away.
7 A time to rent, and a time to sow: a time to keep silence, and a time to speak.
8 A time to love, and a time to hate: a time of war, and a time of peace.
9 What profit hath he that worketh of the thing wherein he travaileth?
10 I have seen the travail that God hath given to the sons of men, [b]to humble them thereby.
11 He hath made everything beautiful in his time: also he hath set the [c]world in their heart, yet cannot man find out the work that God hath wrought from the beginning even to the end.
12 I know that there is nothing good in them, but to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
13 And also that every man eateth and drinketh, and seeth the commodity of all his labor. This is the [d]gift of God.
14 I know that whatsoever God shall do, it shall be [e]forever: to it can no man add, and from it can none diminish: for God hath done it, that they should fear before him.
15 What is that that hath been? that is now: and that that shall be, hath now been: for God [f]requireth that which is past.
16 And moreover, I have seen under the Sun the place of judgment, where was wickedness, and the place of justice, where was iniquity.
17 I thought in mine heart, God will judge the just and the wicked: for time is [g]there for every purpose and for every work.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ecclesiastes 3:1 He speaketh of this diversity of time for two causes: first to declare that there is nothing in this world perpetual: next to teach us not to be grieved, if we have not all things at once according to our desires, neither enjoy them so long as we would wish.
- Ecclesiastes 3:10 Read Eccl. 1:13.
- Ecclesiastes 3:11 God hath given man a desire, and affection to seek out the things of this world, and to labor therein.
- Ecclesiastes 3:13 Read Eccl. 2:24, and these places declare that we should do all things with sobriety and in the fear of God, forasmuch as he giveth not his gifts to the intent that they should be abused.
- Ecclesiastes 3:14 That is, man shall never be able to let God’s work, but as he hath determined, so it shall come to pass.
- Ecclesiastes 3:15 God only causeth that, which is past, to return.
- Ecclesiastes 3:17 Meaning, with God, howsoever man neglect his duty.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
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