| International Standard Version | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1There is a season for everything, and a time for every event under heaven: | 1There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven-- |
| 2a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot what was planted; | 2A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. |
| 3a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build up; | 3A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up. |
| 4a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; | 4A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance. |
| 5a time to scatter stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; | 5A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing. |
| 6a time to search, and a time to give up searching; a time to keep, and a time to discard; | 6A time to search and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep and a time to throw away. |
| 7a time to tear, and a time to mend; a time to be silent, and a time to speak; | 7A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to be silent and a time to speak. |
| 8a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. | 8A time to love and a time to hate; A time for war and a time for peace. |
| 9What benefit does the worker gain from what he undertakes? | 9What profit is there to the worker from that in which he toils? |
| 10I have observed the burdens placed by God on human beings in order to perfect them. | 10I have seen the task which God has given the sons of men with which to occupy themselves. |
| 11He made everything appropriate in its time. He also placed eternity within them—yet, no person can fully comprehend what God is doing from beginning to end. | 11He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end. |
| 12I have concluded that the only worthwhile thing for them is to take pleasure in doing good in life; | 12I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one's lifetime; |
| 13moreover, every person should eat, drink, and enjoy the benefits of everything that he undertakes, since it is a gift from God. | 13moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor-- it is the gift of God. |
| 14I have concluded that everything that God undertakes will last for eternity—nothing can be added to it nor taken away from it—and that God acts this way so that people will fear him. | 14I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him. |
| 15That which was, now is; and that which will be, already is; and God examines what has already taken place. | 15That which is has been already and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by. |
| 16I also examined on earth: where the halls of justice were supposed to be, there was lawlessness; and where the righteous were supposed to be, there was lawlessness. | 16Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness. |
| 17I told myself, "God will judge both the righteous and the wicked, because there is a time set to judge every event and every work." | 17I said to myself, "God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man," for a time for every matter and for every deed is there. |
| 18"As for human beings," I told myself, "God puts them to the test, that they might see themselves as mere animals." | 18I said to myself concerning the sons of men, "God has surely tested them in order for them to see that they are but beasts." |
| 19For what happens to people also happens to animals—a single event happens to them: just as someone dies, so does the other. In fact, they all breathe the same way, so that a human being has no superiority over an animal. All of this is pointless. | 19For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is vanity. |
| 20All of them go to one place: all of them originate from dust, and all of them return to dust. | 20All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust. |
| 21Who knows whether the spirit of human beings ascends, and whether the spirit of animals descends to the earth? | 21Who knows that the breath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth? |
| 22I concluded that it is worthwhile for people to find joy in their accomplishments, because that is their inheritance, since who can see what will exist after them? | 22I have seen that nothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities, for that is his lot. For who will bring him to see what will occur after him? |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
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