Ecclesiastes 3 - Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

3 For everything there is a season,
a right time for every intention under heaven —
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to throw stones and a time to gather stones,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to discard,
7 a time to tear and a time to sew,
a time to keep silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

9 What does the worker gain from his efforts? 10 I have seen the task God has given humanity to keep us occupied. 11 He has made everything suited to its time; also, he has given human beings an awareness of eternity; but in such a way that they can’t fully comprehend, from beginning to end, the things God does. 12 I know that there is nothing better for them to do than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live. 13 Still, the fact that everyone can eat and drink and enjoy the good that results from all his work, is a gift of God. 14 I know that

whatever God does will last forever;
there is nothing to add or subtract from it;
and God has done it so that people will fear him.

15 That which was is here already;
and that which will be has already been,
but God seeks out what people chase after.

16 Another thing I observed under the sun:

There, in the same place as justice, was wickedness;
there, in the same place as righteousness, was wickedness.

17 I said to myself, “The righteous and the wicked God will judge, because there is a right time for every intention and for every action.”

18 Concerning people, I said to myself, “God is testing them, so that they will see that by themselves they are just animals. 19 After all, the same things that happen to people happen to animals, the very same thing — just as the one dies, so does the other. Yes, their breath is the same; so that humans are no better than animals; since nothing matters, anyway. 20 They all go to the same place; they all come from dust, and they all return to dust. 21 Who knows if the spirit of a human being goes upward and the spirit of an animal goes downward into the earth?” 22 So I concluded that there is nothing better for a person to do than take joy in his activities, that that is his allotted portion; for who can enable him to see what will happen after him?

You Might Also Like:

Ecclesiastes 3 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

3 To everything -- a season, and a time to every delight under the heavens: 2 A time to bring forth, And a time to die. A time to plant, And a time to eradicate the planted. 3 A time to slay, And a time to heal, A time to break down, And a time to build up. 4 A time to weep, And a time to laugh. A t...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 3 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

3 All things have time, and all things under [the] sun pass by their spaces. (Everything hath a time, and all things pass forth in their places under the sun.) 2 Time of birth, and time of dying; time to plant, and time to draw up that that is planted. (Time to be born, and time to die; time to plan...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 3 - World English Bible (WEB)

3 For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven: 2 a time to be born, and a time to die;a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;a time to break down, and a time to build up;4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 3 - The Voice (VOICE)

3 Teacher: For everything that happens in life—there is a season, a right time for everything under heaven: 2 A time to be born, a time to die; a time to plant, a time to collect the harvest;3 A time to kill, a time to heal; a time to tear down, a time to build up;4 A time to cry, a time to laugh...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 3 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

A Time For Everything3 For everything there is a seasonand a time for every activity under heaven:2 a time to give birth and a time to die,a time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted;3 a time to kill and a time to heal,a time to tear down and a time to build up;4 a time to weep and a time t...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 3 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Everything Has Its Time3 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: 2 a time to be born, and a time to die;a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;a time to break down, and a time to build up;4 a time to weep, and ...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 3 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Everything Has Its Time3 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: 2 a time to be born, and a time to die;a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;a time to break down, and a time to build up;4 a time to weep, and ...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 3 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Everything Has Its Time3 For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven:(A)2 a time to be born and a time to die;a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted;(B)3 a time to kill and a time to heal;a time to break down and a time to build up;4 a time to weep and a...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 3 - New Living Translation (NLT)

A Time for Everything3 For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.2 A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest.3 A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up.4 A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to ...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 3 - New Life Version (NLV)

A Time for Everything3 There is a special time for everything. There is a time for everything that happens under heaven. 2 There is a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pick what is planted. 3 There is a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a ...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 3 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Everything Has Its Time3 To everything there is a season,A (A)time for every purpose under heaven: 2 A time [a]to be born,And (B)a time to die;A time to plant,And a time to pluck what is planted;3 A time to kill,And a time to heal;A time to break down,And a time to build up;4 A time to (C)weep,And a...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 3 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

A time for everything3 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 3 - New International Version (NIV)

A Time for Everything3 There is a time(A) for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: 2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,(B)3 a time to kill(C) and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,4 a time to weep and a time t...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 3 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

There Is a Time for Everything3 There is a time for everything. There’s a time for everything that is done on earth. 2 There is a time to be born. And there’s a time to die.There is a time to plant. And there’s a time to pull up what is planted.3 There is a time to kill. And there’s a time to heal.T...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 3 - New English Translation (NET)

A Time for All Events in Life3 For everything[a] there is an appointed time,[b]and an appropriate time[c] for every activity[d] on earth:[e]2 A time to be born,[f] and a time to die;[g]a time to plant, and a time to uproot what was planted;3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;a time to break down, a...
Read More