| King James Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: | 1There is a season for everything, and a time for every event under heaven: |
| 2A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; | 2a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot what was planted; |
| 3A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; | 3a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build up; |
| 4A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; | 4a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; |
| 5A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; | 5a time to scatter stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; |
| 6A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; | 6a time to search, and a time to give up searching; a time to keep, and a time to discard; |
| 7A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; | 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 of war, and a time of peace. | 8a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. |
| 9What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth? | 9What benefit does the worker gain from what he undertakes? |
| 10I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it. | 10I have observed the burdens placed by God on human beings in order to perfect them. |
| 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. | 11He made everything appropriate in its time. He also placed eternity within them—yet, no person can fully comprehend what God is doing from beginning to end. |
| 12I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. | 12I have concluded that the only worthwhile thing for them is to take pleasure in doing good in life; |
| 13And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God. | 13moreover, every person should eat, drink, and enjoy the benefits of everything that he undertakes, since it is a gift from 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. | 14I have concluded that everything that God undertakes will last for eternity—nothing can be added to it nor taken away from it—and that God acts this way so that people will fear him. |
| 15That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past. | 15That which was, now is; and that which will be, already is; and God examines what has already taken place. |
| 16And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there. | 16I also examined on earth: where the halls of justice were supposed to be, there was lawlessness; and where the righteous were supposed to be, there was lawlessness. |
| 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. | 17I told myself, "God will judge both the righteous and the wicked, because there is a time set to judge every event and 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. | 18"As for human beings," I told myself, "God puts them to the test, that they might see themselves as mere animals." |
| 19For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. | 19For what happens to people also happens to animals—a single event happens to them: just as someone dies, so does the other. In fact, they all breathe the same way, so that a human being has no superiority over an animal. All of this is pointless. |
| 20All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. | 20All of them go to one place: all of them originate from dust, and all of them return to dust. |
| 21Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? | 21Who knows whether the spirit of human beings ascends, and whether the spirit of animals descends to the earth? |
| 22Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him? | 22I concluded that it is worthwhile for people to find joy in their accomplishments, because that is their inheritance, since who can see what will exist after them? |
| King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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