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Ecclesiastes 3

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven. A time to be born, and a time to die. A time to plant, and a time to pull 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 weep, and a time to laugh. A time to mourn, and a time to dance.

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A time for everything

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven. A time to be born, and a time to die. A time to plant, and a time to pull 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 weep, and a time to laugh. A time to mourn, and a time to dance. A time to throw stones away, and a time to gather stones together. A time to embrace, and a time to hold back from embracing. A time to get, and a time to lose. A time to keep, and a time to throw away. A time to tear, and a time to mend. A time to keep silent, and a time to speak. A time to love, and a time to hate. A time of war, and a time of peace.

There's a season for everything, and a time for every purpose under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to pull up what's planted. 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. A time to throw away stones and a time to gather stones together. A time to hold close and a time to keep from holding close. A time to get 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 quiet and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate. A time of war and a time of peace.

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which 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 weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

1

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.

Plain English

There's a season for everything, and a time for every purpose under heaven.

King James Version, 1611

To every thing there is a season, 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 pull up what is planted.

Plain English

A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to pull up what's planted.

King James Version, 1611

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 kill, and a time to heal. A time to break down, and a time to build up.

Plain English

A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to break down and a time to build up.

King James Version, 1611

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

4

A time to weep, and a time to laugh. A time to mourn, and a time to dance.

Plain English

A time to weep and a time to laugh. A time to mourn and a time to dance.

King James Version, 1611

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

5

A time to throw stones away, and a time to gather stones together. A time to embrace, and a time to hold back from embracing.

Plain English

A time to throw away stones and a time to gather stones together. A time to hold close and a time to keep from holding close.

King James Version, 1611

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

6

A time to get, and a time to lose. A time to keep, and a time to throw away.

Plain English

A time to get and a time to lose. A time to keep and a time to throw away.

King James Version, 1611

A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

7

A time to tear, and a time to mend. A time to keep silent, and a time to speak.

Plain English

A time to tear and a time to sew. A time to keep quiet and a time to speak.

King James Version, 1611

A time to rend, and a time to sew; 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.

Plain English

A time to love and a time to hate. A time of war and a time of peace.

King James Version, 1611

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

He's made everything beautiful in its time

What does the worker get out of all his effort? I have seen the hard business God has given the people to be occupied with. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set the world in their heart, yet no man can find out the work God does from beginning to end. I know there is nothing better for people than to be glad and to do good while they live. And that every man should eat and drink and find good in all his work — that is the gift of God. I know that whatever God does lasts forever. Nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so men will stand in awe of him. What is now has been before, and what is to come has been before as well. And God calls back what has passed.

What does the one who works get out of what he works at? I've seen the hard work God has given the sons of men to be worked at. He's made everything beautiful in its time. He's set the world in their heart too, so no man can find out the work God does from the start to the end. I know there's nothing good in them but to celebrate and do good in their life. And that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his work — it's the gift of God. I know that whatever God does, it'll be forever. Nothing can be put to it, and nothing taken from it. And God does it so men will fear in front of him. What's been is now, and what's to be has already been. And God asks for what's gone past.

What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth? I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it. He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God. I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him. That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.

9

What does the worker get out of all his effort?

Plain English

What does the one who works get out of what he works at?

King James Version, 1611

What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?

10

I have seen the hard business God has given the people to be occupied with.

Plain English

I've seen the hard work God has given the sons of men to be worked at.

King James Version, 1611

I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.

11

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set the world in their heart, yet no man can find out the work God does from beginning to end.

Plain English

He's made everything beautiful in its time. He's set the world in their heart too, so no man can find out the work God does from the start to the end.

King James Version, 1611

He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

12

I know there is nothing better for people than to be glad and to do good while they live.

Plain English

I know there's nothing good in them but to celebrate and do good in their life.

King James Version, 1611

I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.

13

And that every man should eat and drink and find good in all his work — that is the gift of God.

Plain English

And that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his work — it's the gift of God.

King James Version, 1611

And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

14

I know that whatever God does lasts forever. Nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so men will stand in awe of him.

Plain English

I know that whatever God does, it'll be forever. Nothing can be put to it, and nothing taken from it. And God does it so men will fear in front of him.

King James Version, 1611

I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.

15

What is now has been before, and what is to come has been before as well. And God calls back what has passed.

Plain English

What's been is now, and what's to be has already been. And God asks for what's gone past.

King James Version, 1611

That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.

Man and beast

And I saw something else under the sun: in the place of judgement, wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, wrongdoing was there. I said to myself, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, because there is a time for every purpose and every work. I said to myself about the people, that God might show them, and that they might see for themselves that they are beasts. Because what happens to the people happens to beasts. The same thing happens to both: as one dies, so dies the other. They all have one breath, so a man has no advantage over a beast. It is all empty. They all go to the same place. They all come from the dust, and they all go back to the dust. Who knows the spirit of man that goes upward, and the spirit of the beast that goes downward to the earth? So I saw there is nothing better than for a man to take joy in his own work, because that is his lot. Who can bring him back to see what happens after him?

And what's more, I saw under the sun the place of judgment, and wickedness was there. And the place of righteousness, and wrongdoing was there. I said in my heart: God will judge the righteous and the wicked. Because there's a time there for every purpose and for every work. I said in my heart about the state of the sons of men, that God would show them, and that they'd see they're animals themselves. Because what happens to the sons of men happens to animals. One thing happens to them. As one dies, so the other dies. Yes, they've all got one breath, so a man has no advantage over an animal. Because it's all empty. They all go to one place. They're all of the dust, and they all turn to dust again. Who knows the spirit of man that goes upward, and the spirit of the animal that goes down to the earth? So I see there's nothing better than that a man should celebrate in his own works, because that's his share. Because who can bring him to see what'll be after him?

And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there. I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work. I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts. For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

16

And I saw something else under the sun: in the place of judgement, wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, wrongdoing was there.

Plain English

And what's more, I saw under the sun the place of judgment, and wickedness was there. And the place of righteousness, and wrongdoing was there.

King James Version, 1611

And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.

17

I said to myself, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, because there is a time for every purpose and every work.

Plain English

I said in my heart: God will judge the righteous and the wicked. Because there's a time there for every purpose and for every work.

King James Version, 1611

I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

18

I said to myself about the people, that God might show them, and that they might see for themselves that they are beasts.

Plain English

I said in my heart about the state of the sons of men, that God would show them, and that they'd see they're animals themselves.

King James Version, 1611

I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

19

Because what happens to the people happens to beasts. The same thing happens to both: as one dies, so dies the other. They all have one breath, so a man has no advantage over a beast. It is all empty.

Plain English

Because what happens to the sons of men happens to animals. One thing happens to them. As one dies, so the other dies. Yes, they've all got one breath, so a man has no advantage over an animal. Because it's all empty.

King James Version, 1611

For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.

20

They all go to the same place. They all come from the dust, and they all go back to the dust.

Plain English

They all go to one place. They're all of the dust, and they all turn to dust again.

King James Version, 1611

All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

21

Who knows the spirit of man that goes upward, and the spirit of the beast that goes downward to the earth?

Plain English

Who knows the spirit of man that goes upward, and the spirit of the animal that goes down to the earth?

King James Version, 1611

Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

22

So I saw there is nothing better than for a man to take joy in his own work, because that is his lot. Who can bring him back to see what happens after him?

Plain English

So I see there's nothing better than that a man should celebrate in his own works, because that's his share. Because who can bring him to see what'll be after him?

King James Version, 1611

Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?