Ecclesiastes 3:3-5:5

3a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,

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 them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

6a time to search and a time to give up, 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,

8a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. 9What do workers gain from their toil? 10I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. 11He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet Or also placed ignorance in the human heart, so that no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. 13That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.

14I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.

15Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account. Or God calls back the past

16And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment—wickedness was there, in the place of justice—wickedness was there.

17I said to myself, “God will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed.” 18I also said to myself, “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. 19Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath Or spirit ; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless. 20All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return.

21Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?” 22So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?

Oppression, Toil, Friendlessness 1Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed— and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors— and they have no comforter.

2And I declared that the dead, who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive.

3But better than both is the one who has never been born, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.

4And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

5Fools fold their hands and ruin themselves.

6Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.

7Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:

8There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. “For whom am I toiling,” he asked, “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?” This too is meaningless— a miserable business!

9Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:

10If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.

11Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?

12Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Advancement Is Meaningless 13Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning. 14The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. 15I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor. 16There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Fulfill Your Vow to God 1In Hebrew texts 5:1 is numbered 4:17, and 5:2-20 is numbered 5:1-19. Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.

2Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.

3A dream comes when there are many cares, and many words mark the speech of a fool. 4When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. 5It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it.