For everything there is a season, and a time for every {Or, matter}purpose under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.
What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboreth?
I have seen the travail which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.
He hath made everything beautiful in its time: also he hath set {Or, the world}eternity in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end.
I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and {Or, to get good}to do good so long as they live.
And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God.
I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it; and God hath done it, that men should fear before him.
{Or, That which hath been is now}That which is hath been long ago; and that which is to be hath long ago been: and God seeketh again that which is {Hebrew: driven away.}passed away.
And 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.
I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every {Or, matter}purpose and for every work.
{Or, I said in my heart concerning the sons of men, It is God &c.}I said in my heart, It is because of the sons of men, that God may prove them, and that they may see that they themselves are but as beasts.
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 {Or, spirit}breath; and man hath no preeminence above the beasts: for all is vanity.
All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
Who knoweth the spirit {Hebrew: of the sons of men.}of man, {Or, that goeth}whether it goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast, {Or, that goeth}whether it goeth downward to the earth?
Wherefore I saw that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him back to see what shall be after him?
Querverweise zu Prediger 3,22 Pred 3,22
He hath made everything beautiful in its time: also he hath set {Or, the world}eternity in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end.
For who knoweth what is good for man in his life, {Hebrew: the number of days.}all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?
I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and {Or, to get good}to do good so long as they live.
for he knoweth not that which shall be; {Or, for even when it cometh to pass, who shall declare it unto him?}for who can tell him how it shall be?
And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor; and this was my portion from all my labor.
For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, even so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.
Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do; and, behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
A fool also multiplieth words: yet man knoweth not what shall be; and that which shall be after him, who can tell him?
There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.
His sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not;And they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.
Behold, {Or, that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one &c.}that which I have seen to be good and to be comely is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, wherein he laboreth under the sun, {Hebrew: the number of days.}all the days of his life which God hath given him: for this is his portion.
Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor — this is the gift of God.
For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.
And he said, Go thy way, Daniel; for the words are shut up and sealed till the time of the end.
Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be joyful: {Or, and that this should accompany him}for that shall abide with him in his labor all the days of his life which God hath given him under the sun.
Many shall purify themselves, and make themselves white, and be refined; but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand; but {Or, the teachers}they that are wise shall understand.
Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God hath already accepted thy works.
Let thy garments be always white; and let not thy head lack oil.
{Or, Enjoy (Hebrew: See) life}Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of thy life of vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all thy days of vanity: for that is thy portion in life, and in thy labor wherein thou laborest under the sun.
But go thou thy way till the end be; for thou shalt rest, and shalt stand in thy lot, at the end of the days.
Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
Be not therefore anxious for the morrow: for the morrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
and there ye shall eat before Jehovah your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein Jehovah thy God hath blessed thee.
but thou shalt eat them before Jehovah thy God in the place which Jehovah thy God shall choose, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy man-servant, and thy maid-servant, and the Levite that is within thy gates: and thou shalt rejoice before Jehovah thy God in all that thou puttest thy hand unto.
And now, behold, I have brought the first of the fruit of the ground, which thou, O Jehovah, hast given me. And thou shalt set it down before Jehovah thy God, and worship before Jehovah thy God:
and thou shalt rejoice in all the good which Jehovah thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thy house, thou, and the Levite, and the sojourner that is in the midst of thee.
Because thou servedst not Jehovah thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, by reason of the abundance of all things;
in diligence not slothful; fervent in spirit; serving {Some ancient authorities read the opportunity.}the Lord;
rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing stedfastly in prayer;
Rejoice in the Lord always: again I will say, Rejoice.
Let your {Or, gentleness Compare 2 Corinthians 10:1.}forbearance be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.