Ecclesiastes 3 — NETB
3Verse 1For everything there is an appointed time,
and an appropriate time for every activity on earth:
Verse 2A time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to uproot what was planted;
Verse 3A time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
Verse 4A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
Verse 5A time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
Verse 6A time to search, and a time to give something up as lost;
a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
Verse 7A time to rip, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silent, and a time to speak.
Verse 8A time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.
Verse 10I have observed the burden
that God has given to people to keep them occupied.
Verse 11God has made everything fit beautifully in its appropriate time,
but he has also placed ignorance in the human heart
so that people cannot discover what God has ordained,
from the beginning to the end of their lives.
than to be happy and to enjoy
themselves as long as they live,
Verse 13and also that everyone should eat and drink, and find enjoyment in all his toil,
for these things are a gift from God.
nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken away from it.
God has made it this way, so that men will fear him.
Verse 15Whatever exists now has already been, and whatever will be has already been;
for God will seek to do again what has occurred in the past.
In the place of justice, there was wickedness,
and in the place of fairness, there was wickedness.
Verse 17I thought to myself, “God will judge both the righteous and the wicked;
for there is an appropriate time for every activity,
and there is a time of judgment for every deed.
Verse 18I also thought to myself, “It is for the sake of people,
so God can clearly show them that they are like animals.
Verse 19For the fate of humans and the fate of animals are the same:
As one dies, so dies the other; both have the same breath.
There is no advantage for humans over animals,
for both are fleeting.
Verse 20Both go to the same place,
both come from the dust,
and to dust both return.
Verse 21Who really knows if the human spirit ascends upward,
and the animal’s spirit descends into the earth?
Verse 22So I perceived there is nothing better than for people to enjoy their work,
because that is their reward;
for who can show them what the future holds?
and an appropriate time for every activity on earth:
Verse 2A time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to uproot what was planted;
Verse 3A time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
Verse 4A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
Verse 5A time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
Verse 6A time to search, and a time to give something up as lost;
a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
Verse 7A time to rip, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silent, and a time to speak.
Verse 8A time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.
Man is Ignorant of God’s Timing
Verse 9What benefit can a worker gain from his toil?Verse 10I have observed the burden
that God has given to people to keep them occupied.
Verse 11God has made everything fit beautifully in its appropriate time,
but he has also placed ignorance in the human heart
so that people cannot discover what God has ordained,
from the beginning to the end of their lives.
Enjoy Life in the Present
Verse 12I have concluded that there is nothing better for peoplethan to be happy and to enjoy
themselves as long as they live,
Verse 13and also that everyone should eat and drink, and find enjoyment in all his toil,
for these things are a gift from God.
God’s Sovereignty
Verse 14I also know that whatever God does will endure forever;nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken away from it.
God has made it this way, so that men will fear him.
Verse 15Whatever exists now has already been, and whatever will be has already been;
for God will seek to do again what has occurred in the past.
The Problem of Injustice and Oppression
Verse 16I saw something else on earth:In the place of justice, there was wickedness,
and in the place of fairness, there was wickedness.
Verse 17I thought to myself, “God will judge both the righteous and the wicked;
for there is an appropriate time for every activity,
and there is a time of judgment for every deed.
Verse 18I also thought to myself, “It is for the sake of people,
so God can clearly show them that they are like animals.
Verse 19For the fate of humans and the fate of animals are the same:
As one dies, so dies the other; both have the same breath.
There is no advantage for humans over animals,
for both are fleeting.
Verse 20Both go to the same place,
both come from the dust,
and to dust both return.
Verse 21Who really knows if the human spirit ascends upward,
and the animal’s spirit descends into the earth?
Verse 22So I perceived there is nothing better than for people to enjoy their work,
because that is their reward;
for who can show them what the future holds?