Ecclesiastes 3:7-18
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 3
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.
9What benefit is there for the worker from that in which he labors?
10I have seen the task which God has given the sons of mankind with which to occupy themselves.
12I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime;
13moreover, that every person who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—this is the gift of God.
14I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it. And God has so worked, that people will fear Him.
15That which is, is what has already been, and that which will be has already been; and God seeks what has passed by.
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 said to myself, 'God will judge the righteous and the wicked,' for a time for every matter and for every deed is there.
18I said to myself regarding the sons of mankind, 'God is testing them in order for them to see that they are as animals, they to themselves.'
King James Version
Chapter 3
7A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. 9What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth? 10I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
11He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
12I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
13And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.
14I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.
15That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.
16And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.
17I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.
18I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.
Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 3
7a time to tear and a time to sew; 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 does the worker gain from his struggles?
10I have seen the task that God has given the children of Adam to keep them occupied.
11He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also put eternity in their hearts, but no one can discover the work God has done from beginning to end.
12I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and enjoy the good life.
13It is also the gift of God whenever anyone eats, drinks, and enjoys all his efforts.
14I know that everything God does will last forever; there is no adding to it or taking from it. God works so that people will be in awe of him.
15Whatever is, has already been, and whatever will be, already is. However, God seeks justice for the persecuted.
16I also observed under the sun: there is wickedness at the place of judgment and there is wickedness at the place of righteousness.
17I said to myself, "God will judge the righteous and the wicked, since there is a time for every activity and every work."
18I said to myself, "This happens so that God may test the children of Adam and they may see for themselves that they are like animals."
New Living Translation
Chapter 3
7A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet 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 people really get for all their hard work?
10I have seen the burden God has placed on us all.
11Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.
12So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can.
13And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.
14And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God’s purpose is that people should fear him.
15What is happening now has happened before, and what will happen in the future has happened before, because God makes the same things happen over and over again.
English Standard Version
Chapter 3
7a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. 9What gain has the worker from his toil? 10I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 11He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 12I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; 13also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.
14I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him.
15That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away.
16Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness.
17I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work.
18I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but beasts.
New International Version
Chapter 3
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 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.
New King James Version
Chapter 3
7A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak; 8A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace.
9What profit has the worker from that in which he labors?
10I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied.
11He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.
12I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives,
13and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God.