1 There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a AEccl 3:17; 8:6time for every 1Lit delightevent under heaven—

9 AEccl 1:3; 2:11; 5:16What profit is there to the worker from that in which he toils? 10 I have seen the AEccl 1:13; 2:26task which God has given the sons of men with which to occupy themselves.

11 He has AGen 1:31made everything 1Lit beautifulappropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, 2Or without which manyet so that man BJob 5:9; Eccl 7:23; 8:17; Rom 11:33will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.

12 I know that there is AEccl 2:24nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime; 13 moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—it is the AEccl 2:24; 5:19gift of God. 14 I 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 1Or be in awe before HimAEccl 5:7; 7:18; 8:12, 13; 12:13fear Him. 15 That AEccl 1:9; 6:10which is has been already and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by.

16 Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is AEccl 4:1; 5:8; 8:9wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness. 17 I said 1Lit in my heartto myself, “AGen 18:25; Ps 96:13; 98:9; Eccl 11:9; Matt 16:27; Rom 2:6-10; 2 Thess 1:6-9God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man,” for a BEccl 3:1; 8:6time for every 2Or delightmatter and for every deed is there. 18 I said 1Lit in my heartto myself concerning the sons of men, “God has surely tested them in order for them to see that they are but APs 49:12, 20; 73:22beasts.” 19 APs 49:12; Eccl 9:12For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts 1Lit and they have one fateis 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 2Or futilityvanity. 20 All go to the same place. All came from the AGen 3:19; Ps 103:14; Eccl 12:7dust and all return to the dust. 21 Who knows that the AEccl 12:7breath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth? 22 I have seen that AEccl 2:24nothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities, for that is his lot. For who will bring him to see BEccl 2:18; 6:12; 8:7; 10:14what will occur after him?