Eclesiastes 3

1 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;

a time to mourn,

and a time to dance;

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;

6 a time to seek,

and a time to lose;

a time to keep,

and a time to cast away;

7 a time to tear,

and a time to sew;

a time to keep silence,

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 profit has he who works in that in which he labors? 10 I have seen the burden which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts, yet so that man can’t find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live. 13 Also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God. 14 I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; and God has done it, that men should fear before him. 15 That which is has been long ago, and that which is to be has been long ago. God seeks again that which is passed away.

16 Moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there. 17 I said in my heart, "God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work." 18 I said in my heart, "As for the sons of men, God tests them, so that they may see that they themselves are like animals. 19 For that which happens to the sons of men happens to animals. Even one thing happens to them. As the one dies, so the other dies. Yes, they have all one breath; and man has no advantage over the animals, for all is vanity. 20 All go to one place. All are from the dust, and all turn to dust again. 21 Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes downward to the earth?"

22 Therefore I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his works, for that is his portion; for who can bring him to see what will be after him?

He Wā mō ngā Mea Katoa

1 He tāima anō kua takoto mō ngā mea katoa, me te wā mō ngā meatanga katoa i raro i te rangi:

2 he wā e whānau ai, he wā e mate ai;

he wā e whakatō ai, he wā e hūtia ai te mea i whakatōkia;

3 he wā e patu ai, he wā e rongoā ai;

he wā e wāwāhi iho ai, he wā e hanga ake ai;

4 he wā e tangi ai, he wā e kata ai;

he wā e auē ai, he wā e kanikani ai;

5 he wā e ākiritia atu ai ngā kōhatu,

he wā e kohikohia ai ngā kōhatu,

he wā e awhi ai, he wā e kore ai e awhi;

6 he wā e rapu ai, he wā e ngaro ai;

he wā e tiaki ai, he wā e ākiri atu ai;

7 he wā e haehae ai, he wā e tuitui ai;

he wā e whakarongo puku ai, he wā e kōrero ai;

8 he wā e aroha ai, he wā e mauāhara ai;

he wā e whawhai ai, he wā e mau ai te rongo.

Te Mahi mai nā te Atua

9 He aha te pai ki te kaimahi i tāna mea i māuiui ai ia? 10 Kua kite ahau i te raruraru e hōmai ana e te Atua ki ngā tama a te tangata hei whakararu i a rātou. 11 I hangā e ia ngā mea katoa kia ātaahua i tōna wā anō; ā, i whakanohoia e ia te ao ki ō rātou ngākau, engari kia kaua te tangata e kite i tā te Atua mahi i mahi ai, mai i te tīmatanga ā taea noatia te mutunga. 12 E mōhio ana ahau kāhore he mea pai atu mō rātou i te ngākau hari, i te mahi i te pai i a rātou e ora ana; 13 ā, he mea hoki nā te Atua kia kai ngā tāngata katoa, kia inu, kia kite anō hoki i te pai o tō rātou māuiui katoa. 14 E mōhio ana ahau ko ngā mea katoa e hangā ana e te Atua, ka mau tonu ā ake ake; e kore tētahi mea e honoa mai, e kore anō hoki tētahi wāhi e tangohia atu. I meatia hoki e te Atua kia wehi ai ngā tāngata i tōna aroaro. 15 Ko tō mua mea koia anō tēnei ināianei; nā, ko te mea e puta mai ā mua kua puta noa ake; e rapua ana anō e te Atua te mea onamata.

He Tūkino i roto i te Ao

16 Nā, i kitea anō e ahau i raro i te rā, ko te wāhi o te whakawā i reira ia te kino, ā, ko te wāhi o te tika ko te kino i reira. 17 Ka mea ahau i roto i tōku ngākau, "Tērā e whakawākia e te Atua te tangata tika rāua ko te tangata kino; nō te mea kua takoto te wā i reira mō ngā meatanga katoa, mō ngā mahi katoa."

18 I mea ahau i roto i tōku ngākau, "Nā te mea mō ngā tama a te tangata, he mea nā te Atua hei whakaatu i a rātou, kia kite ai rātou he pērā noa iho rātou i te kararehe." 19 Ko te mea hoki e pā ana ki ngā tama a te tangata, e pā ana ki ngā kararehe; kotahi tonu te mea e pā ana ki a rātou; ko te matenga o tētahi rite tonu ki te matenga o tētahi. Āe rā, kotahi tonu anō manawa ō rātou katoa; kīhai hoki te tangata i hipa ake i te kararehe; he horihori hoki te katoa. 20 E haere ana te katoa ki te wāhi kotahi; nō te puehu nei te katoa, ka hoki anō te katoa ki te puehu. 21 Ko wai e mātau ana ki te wairua o te tangata, e haere ana rānei ki runga, ki te wairua rānei o te kararehe, mehemea rānei e heke iho ana ki raro ki te whenua?

22 Nā, ka kite ahau kāhore he pai nui atu i tēnei, arā kia koa te tangata ki āna mahi; ko te wāhi hoki tērā māna; mā wai ia e whakahoki mai, e mea kia kite i ngā mea e puta mai i muri i a ia?