Ecclesiastes 3
1 For everything there is an appointed time, and a season for every purpose under heaven.
2 There is a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to pull up plants,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build up.
4 There is a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to throw away stones and a time to gather stones, a time to embrace other people, and a time to refrain from embracing.
6 There is a time to look for things and a time to stop looking, a time to keep things and a time to throw away things,
7 a time to tear clothing and a time to repair clothing, a time to keep silent and a time to speak.
8 There is a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
9 What profit does the worker gain in his labor?
10 I have seen the work that God has given to human beings to complete.
11 God has made everything suitable for its own time. He has also placed eternity in their hearts. But mankind cannot understand the deeds that God has done, from their beginning all the way to their end.
12 I know that there is nothing better for anyone than to rejoice and to do good so long as he lives—
13 and that everyone should eat and drink, and should understand how to enjoy the good that comes from all his work. This is a gift from God.
14 I know that whatever God does lasts forever. Nothing can be added to it or taken away, because it is God who has done it so that people will approach him with honor.
15 Whatever exists has already existed; whatever will exist has already existed. God makes human beings seek hidden things.
16 I have seen the wickedness that is under the sun, where there should be justice, and in place of righteousness, wickedness was there.
17 I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked at the right time for every matter and every deed.”
18 I said in my heart, “God tests human beings to show them that they are like animals.”
19 For the fate of the children of mankind and the fate of animals is the same fate for them. The death of one is like the death of the other. The breath is the same for all of them. There is no advantage for mankind over the animals. For is not everything just a breath?
20 Everything is going to the same place. Everything comes from the dust, and everything returns to the dust.
21 Who knows whether the spirit of mankind goes upward and the spirit of animals goes downward into the earth?
22 So again I realized that there is nothing better for anyone than to take pleasure in his work, for that is his assignment. Who can bring him back to see what happens after him?
Cross-references
160
- 1Ecc 3:17, Mat 16:3, Ecc 8:5–6, Ecc 7:14, 2Ki 5:26, Pro 15:23, 2Ch 33:12, Ecc 2:3
- 2Heb 9:27, Job 14:5, Mat 15:13, Jer 18:7–10, Job 7:1, Jhn 16:21, Gal 4:4, Isa 38:1
- 3Hos 6:1–2, 1Sa 2:6, Jer 45:4, Jer 31:28, Deu 32:39, Isa 44:26, Isa 5:5–6, Jer 33:6
- 4Rom 12:15, Psa 30:5, Jas 4:9, Psa 126:5–6, Psa 126:1–2, Jhn 16:20–22, 2Co 7:10, Luk 6:21–25
- 52Ki 3:25, Jos 10:27, Jos 4:3–9, Jol 2:16, 2Sa 18:17–18, 1Sa 21:4–5
- 6Php 3:7–8, Luk 9:24–25, Mrk 8:35–37, Mat 16:25–26, 2Ki 5:26, Ecc 11:1, Psa 112:9, Heb 10:34–35
- 7Amo 5:13, Mic 7:5, Lam 3:28, Est 4:13–14, Pro 31:8–9, Act 4:20, Pro 24:11–12, Jol 2:13
- 8Eph 5:25, Eph 5:28–29, Luk 14:26, 1Ki 5:4, 2Ch 19:2, Psa 139:21, Jos 11:23, Eph 3:19
- 9Ecc 1:3, Pro 14:23, Ecc 5:16, Ecc 2:22–23, Mat 16:26, Ecc 2:11
- 10Ecc 1:13–14, Gen 3:19, Ecc 2:26, 2Th 3:8, 1Th 2:9
- 11Rom 1:19–20, Rom 11:33, Job 11:7, Ecc 8:17, Job 5:9, Mrk 7:37, Psa 104:24, Gen 1:31
- 12Psa 37:3, Ecc 3:22, 1Ti 6:18, Php 4:4–9, 1Th 5:15–16, Isa 64:5, Luk 11:41, Act 20:35
- 13Ecc 2:24, Ecc 9:7, Isa 65:21–23, Psa 128:2, Ecc 5:18–20, Deu 28:30–31
- 14Jas 1:17, Psa 33:11, Rom 11:36, Act 5:39, Pro 30:6, Tit 1:2, Pro 21:30, Ecc 8:12–13
- 15Ecc 1:9–10, Ecc 6:10
- 16Ecc 4:1, Ecc 5:8, Act 23:3, 1Ki 21:9–21, Psa 82:2–5, Psa 94:21–22, Psa 58:1–2, Mic 2:2
- 172Co 5:10, Ecc 12:14, Ecc 3:1, Mat 16:27, Ecc 11:9, Psa 98:9, Rom 2:5–10, 2Th 1:6–10
- 18Psa 73:22, Psa 49:12, Gen 3:17–19, 2Pe 2:12, Heb 9:27, 1Pe 1:24, Rom 9:23, Psa 49:19–20
- 19Psa 49:12, Psa 49:20, Job 14:10–12, Psa 89:47–48, Psa 39:5–6, Ecc 2:14, Ecc 2:20–23, Psa 104:29
- 20Gen 3:19, Job 34:15, Ecc 12:7, Ecc 9:10, Psa 104:29, Job 10:9–10, Num 27:13, Job 7:9
- 21Ecc 12:7, 2Co 5:1, Jhn 14:3, Luk 16:22–23, Php 1:23, Act 1:25, 2Co 5:8
- 22Ecc 2:24, Ecc 3:11–12, Ecc 8:7, Ecc 10:14, Ecc 6:12, Ecc 11:9, Php 4:4–5, Ecc 2:10–11
Topics in this chapter
27
Animals, Blessing, Contentment, Corruption, Dancing, Death, Dust, Fear, Gifts From God, God, Happiness, Ignorance, Immortality, Injustice, Instruction, Judgment, Justice, Laughter, Life, Man, Nation, Philosophy, Power, Rulers, Speaking, Tongue, Wicked (People)