The Teacher, Chapter 3

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every thing on earth:

A time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to uproot,

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 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.

What profit hath the worker from his travail?

I have seen the blind compulsion with which the generations of man find themselves burdened.

Every thing is beautiful in its time: eternity can be found in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom the vastness of existence from the beginning to the end.

I know that there is no better in man than to rejoice and to do good in his life. Every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the satisfaction of his toil. This he hath earned and this is his right.

I know that all things which are now, will be for ever: nothing can be put in, nor any thing taken away: this is surely a fearful mystery.

That which is now hath already been;
and that which is to be hath been before;
and the past once more may be called to account.

And moreover I saw under the sun:
in the place of judgment - wickedness was there;
and in the place of righteousness - iniquity was there.
I said in mine heart, “There is a time for every deed and for every work: even the righteous and the wicked shall come to be judged alike: no man is above this law.”

I said in mine heart, “When men find a measure of themselves they see that they are themselves no different than beasts.”
For that which befalleth mankind befalleth beasts,
only one thing befalleth them both:
as the one dieth, so dieth the other.
Yea, they have all but the same breath,
so that a man hath no advantage over a beast.
For all is vanity.
All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
Who knoweth if the spirit of man riseth upward, and the spirit of the beast goeth downward to the earth?

Wherefore I saw that there is nothing better: a man should rejoice in his own works, for that is his reward.

For who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?