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Everything Has Its Time

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

a time to be born and a time to die;
a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted;(B)
a time to kill and a time to heal;
a time to break down and a time to build up;
a time to weep and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn and a time to dance;(C)
a time to throw away stones and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing;(D)
a time to seek and a time to lose;
a time to keep and a time to throw away;
a time to tear and a time to sew;
a time to keep silent and a time to speak;(E)
a time to love and a time to hate;
a time for war and a time for peace.(F)

The God-Given Task

What gain have the workers from their toil?(G) 10 I have seen the business that God has given to everyone to be busy with.(H) 11 He has made everything suitable for its time; moreover, he has put a sense of past and future into their minds, yet they cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.(I) 12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live; 13 moreover, it is God’s gift that all should eat and drink and take pleasure in all their toil. 14 I know that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it nor anything taken from it; God has done this so that all should stand in awe before him.(J) 15 That which is already has been, that which is to be already is, and God seeks out what has gone by.[a](K)

Judgment and the Future Belong to God

16 Moreover, I saw under the sun that, in the place of justice, wickedness was there, and in the place of righteousness, wickedness was there as well. 17 I said to myself, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for he has appointed a time for every matter and for every work.”(L)

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Footnotes

  1. 3.15 Heb what is pursued

The Purposes in God’s Timing

There is a season for everything,
and a time for every event under heaven:[a]
a time to be born, and a time to die;
    a time to plant, and a time to uproot what was planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
    a time to tear down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
    a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to scatter stones, and a time to gather stones;
    a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to search, and a time to give up searching;[b]
    a time to keep, and a time to discard;
a time to tear, and a time to mend;
    a time to be silent, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
    a time for war, and a time for peace.

The Purpose of Life

What benefit does the worker gain from what he undertakes? 10 I have observed the burdens placed by God on human beings in order to perfect them. 11 He made everything appropriate in its time. He also placed eternity within them—yet, no person can fully comprehend what God is doing from beginning to end.

12 I have concluded that the only worthwhile thing for them is to take pleasure in doing good in life; 13 moreover, every person should eat, drink, and enjoy the benefits of everything that he undertakes, since it is a gift from God.

14 I have concluded that everything that God undertakes will last for eternity—nothing can be added to it nor taken away from it—and that God acts this way so that people will fear him. 15 That which was, now is; and that which will be, already is; and God examines what has already taken place.

From Dust to Dust

16 I also examined on earth:

where the halls of justice were supposed to be,
    there was lawlessness;
and where the righteous were supposed to be,[c]
    there was lawlessness.

17 I told myself, “God will judge both the righteous and the wicked, because there is a time set to judge[d] every event and every work.”

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 3:1 I.e. from a heavenly perspective
  2. Ecclesiastes 3:6 The Heb. lacks searching
  3. Ecclesiastes 3:16 Lit. and the place of judgment
  4. Ecclesiastes 3:17 The Heb. lacks to judge