To Everything There Is a Season

1Euery thyng hath a tyme, yea all that is vnder the heaue hath his conuenient season.

2There is a tyme to be borne, and a tyme to dye: there is a tyme to plant, and a tyme to plucke vp the thyng that is planted.

3A tyme to slay, and a tyme to make whole: a tyme to breake downe, and a tyme to builde vp.

4A tyme to weepe, and a tyme to laugh: a tyme to mourne, & a tyme to daunce.

5A tyme to cast away stones, and a tyme to gather stones together: A tyme to imbrace, and a tyme to refrayne from imbracyng.

6A tyme to wynne, and a tyme to lose: A tyme to spare, and a tyme to spende.

7A tyme to cut in peeces, and a tyme to sowe together: A tyme to kepe scilence, and a tyme to speake.

8A tyme to loue, and a tyme to hate: A tyme of warre, and a tyme of peace.

God’s Works Remain Forever

9What hath a man els that doth any thyng, but weerinesse and labour? 10For as touchyng the trauayle and carefulnesse which God hath geuen vnto men, I see that he hath geuen it them to be exercised in it.

11All this hath he ordeyned marueilous goodly, to euery thyng his due tyme: He hath planted ignoraunce also in the heartes of men, that they shoulde not comprehende the ground of his workes which he doth from the begynnyng to the ende.

12So I perceaued that in those thinges there is nothyng better for a man then to be mery, and to do well as long as he lyueth. 13For all that a man eateth & drynketh, yea whatsoeuer a man enioyeth of all his labour: that same is a gyft of God. 14I considered also that whatsoeuer God doth, it continueth for euer: And that nothyng can be put vnto it, nor taken from it, & that God doth it to the intent that men shoulde feare hym. 15The thyng that hath ben, is nowe: and the thyng that is for to come, hath ben afore time: for God restoreth againe the thyng that was past.

From Dust to Dust

16Moreouer, I sawe vnder the sunne vngodlynes in the steade of iudgement, & iniquitie in steade of righteousnesse. 17Then thought I in my mynde, God shall separate the ryghteous from the vngodly: and then shalbe the tyme and iudgement of all counsayles & workes. 18I communed with myne owne heart also concernyng the children of men, howe God hath chosen them, and yet letteth them appeare as though they were beastes. 19For it happeneth vnto men as it doth vnto beastes, euen one condition vnto them both: as the one dyeth so dyeth the other, yea they haue both one maner of breath: so that in this a man hath no preeminence aboue a beast, but are all subdued vnto vanitie. 20They go all vnto one place: for as they be all of dust, so shall they all turne vnto dust agayne. 21Who knoweth the spirite of man that goeth vpwarde, & the breath of the beast that goeth downe to the earth? 22Wherfore I perceaue that there is nothyng better for a man then to be ioyfull in his labour, for that is his portion: But who wyll bryng hym to see the thyng that shall come after hym?