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Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3
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1 |
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose
under the heaven:
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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;
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3 |
A time to
kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build
up;
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4 |
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a
time to dance;
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5 |
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather
stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from
embracing;
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6 |
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and
a time to cast away;
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7 |
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to
keep silence, and a time to speak;
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8 |
A time to love, and a time to
hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
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9 |
What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
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10 |
I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men
to be exercised in it.
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11 |
He 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.
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12 |
I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice,
and to do good in his life.
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13 |
And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good
of all his labour, it is the gift of God.
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14 |
I 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.
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15 |
That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already
been; and God requireth that which is past.
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16 |
And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that
wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity
was there.
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17 |
I 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.
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18 |
I 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.
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19 |
For 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.
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20 |
All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust
again.
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21 |
Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit
of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
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22 |
Wherefore 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?
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