Ecclesiastes 3

1 To everything [all things, the whole universe] there is a season [a fixed time, an appointed occasion], and a time [a scheduled event, an opportune moment] for every purpose [delight, pleasure] under heaven [the sky, the spiritual realm]: word study 2 a time [season, occasion] to be born [to come into existence, to be given life] and a time [appointed moment] to die [to cease living, to pass away], a time [opportune moment] to plant [to sow seeds, to nurture growth] and a time [designated season] to uproot [to pluck up, to eradicate], word study 3 a time [season, occasion, or event] to kill [slay, destroy] and a time [season, occasion, or event] to heal [mend, cure], a time [season, occasion, or event] to break down [tear down, demolish] and a time [season, occasion, or event] to build [construct, establish], word study 4 a time [season, occasion] to weep [to cry, shed tears] and a time [season, occasion] to laugh [in joy, with contempt], a time [season, occasion] to mourn [to lament, express sorrow] and a time [season, occasion] to dance [to skip about, celebrate with joy], word study 5 a time [season, occasion] to cast away [throw, scatter] stones [rocks, weights] and a time [season, occasion] to gather [collect, assemble] stones [rocks, weights] together, a time [moment, period] to embrace [clasp, hug] and a time [season, occasion] to refrain from [avoid, abstain from] embracing [showing affection, being intimate], word study 6 a time [season, occasion] to search [to seek, look for] and a time [season, occasion] to count as lost [to lose, perish], a time [season, occasion] to keep [to preserve, protect] and a time [season, occasion] to discard [to throw away, cast off], word study 7 a time [season, occasion] to tear [rend, undo] and a time [season, occasion] to mend [sew, repair], a time [season, occasion] to be silent [keep quiet, still] and a time [season, occasion] to speak [communicate, declare], word study 8 a time [season, occasion] to love [have affection for] and a time [season, occasion] to hate [feel intense dislike], a time [season] for war [battle, conflict] and a time [season] for peace [completeness, wellness, shalom]. word study 9 What [the benefit or profit] does the worker [labourer, one who toils] gain [acquire, obtain] from his toil [hard work, labour, travail]? word study 10 I have seen [observed, looked upon] the burden [travail, task, responsibility] that God [Elohim, the supreme Ruler] has laid [given, placed] upon the sons [descendants, children] of men [humanity, mankind] to occupy [be occupied, humble themselves, be exercised] them [in it, with it]. word study 11 He has made everything [all things, the whole universe] beautiful [lovely, pleasant] in its time [season, appointed moment]. He has also set [given, put] eternity [forever, the concept of timeless existence] in the hearts [minds, inner beings] of men, yet they cannot fathom [understand, find out] the work [deed, action] that God [the supreme Creator, Elohim] has done from beginning [start, origin] to end [conclusion, final result]. word study 12 I know [have come to understand, am certain] that there is nothing [no thing, absence of something] better [more pleasant, beneficial] for them than to rejoice [be glad, celebrate] and do [make, perform] good [what is right, pleasing] while they live [are alive, have physical or spiritual life], word study 13 and also [even, too] that every man [human being, Adam] should eat [devour, consume] and drink [feast, indulge] and find satisfaction [enjoy the good, see the benefit] in all [everything, every aspect] his labor [trouble, hard work]—this is the gift [reward] of God [Elohim, the supreme God]. word study 14 I know [am certain, have learned] that everything [all that] God [Elohim, the one supreme God] does [makes, brings about] endures [lasts, remains] forever [for all eternity, always]; nothing can be added [put, increased] to it or taken [diminished, removed] from it. God [the Creator] does [makes, brings about] it so that they [people, mankind] should fear [reverence, stand in awe of] Him [His presence, face]. word study 15 What [that which hath been] exists has already been [long ago, from the very first], and what will be [is to be] has already been [long ago, in God’s plan], for God [Elohim, the supreme Judge] will call to account [seek, require, examine] what has passed [that which is past, gone by]. word study 16 Furthermore, I saw [in this earthly life] under the sun that in the place [location, region] of judgment [justice] there is wickedness [evil, immoral actions], and in the place [location, condition] of righteousness [justice] there is wickedness [iniquity, unrighteousness]. word study 17 I said in my heart [to myself, in my inner being], “God [Elohim, the supreme Judge] will judge [vindicate or punish] the righteous [those made right with God] and the wicked [those guilty of sin], since there is a time [an appointed season] for every activity [purpose or work] and every deed [action or event] [at the designated moment, then].” word study 18 I said to myself [in my heart, as a matter of reflection], “As for the sons [descendants, humanity] of men [the man, Adam], God [Elohim, the supreme Ruler] tests [proves, examines] them so that they may see [perceive, understand] for themselves [personally, through experience] that they are but [no more than, like] beasts [animals, creatures].” word study 19 For the fates [destinies, events] of both men [human beings, sons of Adam] and beasts [animals, living creatures] are the same: As one dies [passes away, meets its end], so dies [perishes, comes to an end] the other—they all have the same [one and the same] breath [spirit, life force]. Man [humanity, mankind] has no advantage [superiority, preeminence] over the animals [beasts, creatures], since everything [all things, the whole of life] is futile [vanity, meaningless, without lasting purpose]. word study 20 All [everything, the whole of creation] go to one [single, united] place; all [every living thing] come from [are made of, originate from] dust [the earth, dry ground], and all [every creature] return [turn back, come back to] to [toward, into] dust [the ground, mortal remains]. word study 21 Who [is certain] knows if the spirit [breath of life, the wind, or a person’s mind and emotions] of man [the first human, created by God] rises [goes up, ascend] upward [above, higher] and the spirit [breath of life] of the animal [large quadruped mammals, livestock] descends [goes down, falls] into [beneath, below] the earth [land, soil, ground]? word study 22 I have seen [perceived, understood] that there is nothing [no thing, not anything] better [more pleasant, more desirable] for a man [Adam, humanity] than to enjoy [rejoice in, take pleasure in] his work [deeds, actions, labor], because [for, since] that is his lot [portion, inheritance, what is assigned to him]. For who [what person, which one] can bring [cause to come, lead] him to see [look, perceive, understand] what [which things, what events] will come [happen, occur] after [following, subsequent to] him? word study