1 To every thing there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the heavens:2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to root 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 a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;5 a time to throw 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 throw 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 of war, and a time of peace.9 What profit does he have who works in that in which he labors?10 I have seen the task which God has given to the sons of men to keep busy.11 He has made everything beautiful in its time; also He has set eternity in their hearts, so that no man can find out the work that God has made from the beginning to the end.12 I know that there is no good for man, but to rejoice and to do good in his life.13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labor; it 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 does it so that men should fear before Him.15 That which has been, is now; and that which is to be, already has been; and God exacts what is pursued.16 Moreover I saw under the sun in the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there.17 I said in my heart, God shall 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 concerning the manner of the sons of men, that God tests them, that they might see that they themselves are beasts.19 For that which happens to the sons of men also happens to beasts, even one thing happens to them. As this one dies, so that one dies; yea, they all have one breath; so that a man has no advantage over a beast; for all is vanity.20 All go to one place; all are of the dust, and all return to dust again.21 Who knows the spirit of man that goes upward, and the spirit of the beast that goes downward to the earth?22 Therefore I have seen that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion; for who can bring him to see what shall be after him?

1 Alle thingis han tyme, and alle thingis vndur sunne passen bi her spaces.2 Tyme of birthe, and time of diyng; tyme to plaunte, and tyme to drawe vp that that is plauntid.3 Tyme to sle, and tyme to make hool; tyme to distrie, and tyme to bilde.4 Tyme to wepe, and tyme to leiye; tyme to biweile, and tyme to daunse.5 Tyme to scatere stoonys, and tyme to gadere togidere; tyme to colle, and tyme to be fer fro collyngis.6 Tyme to wynne, and tyme to leese; tyme to kepe, and tyme to caste awei.7 Tyme to kitte, and tyme to sewe togidere; tyme to be stille, and tyme to speke.8 Tyme of loue, and tyme of hatrede; tyme of batel, and tyme of pees.9 What hath a man more of his trauel?10 I siy the turment, which God yaf to the sones of men, that thei be occupied therynne.11 God made alle thingis good in her tyme, and yaf the world to disputyng of hem, that a man fynde not the werk which God hath wrouyt fro the bigynnyng `til in to the ende.12 And Y knew that no thing was betere `to a man, `no but to be glad, and to do good werkis in his lijf.13 For whi ech man that etith and drinkith, and seeth good of his trauel; this is the yifte of God.14 I haue lerned that alle werkis, whiche God made, lasten stidfastli `til in to with outen ende; we moun not adde ony thing to tho, nether take awei fro tho thingis, whiche God made, that he be dred.15 That thing that is maad, dwellith perfitli; tho thingis that schulen come, weren bifore; and God restorith that, that is goon.16 I siy vndur sunne vnfeithfulnesse in the place of doom; and wickidnesse in the place of riytfulnesse.17 And Y seide in myn herte, The Lord schal deme a iust man, and an vnfeithful man; and the tyme of ech thing schal be thanne.18 I seide in myn herte of the sones of men, that God schulde preue hem, and schewe that thei ben lijk vnresonable beestis.19 Therfor oon is the perisching of man and of beestis, and euene condicioun is of euer eithir; as a man dieth, `so and tho beestis dien; alle beestis brethen in lijk maner, and a man hath no thing more than a beeste.20 Alle thingis ben suget to vanyte, and alle thingis goen to o place; tho ben maad of erthe, and tho turnen ayen togidere in to erthe.21 Who knowith, if the spirit of the sones of Adam stieth vpward, and if the spirit of beestis goith dounward?22 And Y perseyuede that no thing is betere, than that a man be glad in his werk, and that this be his part; for who schal brynge hym, that he knowe thingis that schulen come after hym?