There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a ^atime for every matter under heaven—

9 ^aWhat benefit is there for the worker from that in which he labors? 10 I have seen the ^atask which God has given the sons of mankind with which to ¹occupy themselves.

11 He has ^amade everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, without the possibility that mankind ^bwill find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.

12 I know that there is ^anothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime; 13 moreover, that every person who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—this is the ^agift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it. And God has so worked, that people will ^1afear Him. 15 ^aThat which is, is what has already been, and that which will be has already been; and God ¹seeks what has passed by.

16 Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is ^awickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness. 17 I said ¹to myself, “^aGod will judge the righteous and the wicked,” for a ^btime for every matter and for every deed ²is there. 18 I said ¹to myself regarding the sons of mankind, “God is testing them in order for them to see that they are as ^aanimals, they to themselves.” 19 ^aFor the fate of the sons of mankind and the fate of animals ¹is the same. As one dies, so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath, and there is no advantage for mankind over animals, for all is futility. 20 All go to the same place. All came from the ^adust and all return to the dust. 21 Who knows that the ^aspirit of the sons of mankind ascends upward and the spirit of the animal descends downward to the earth? 22 I have seen that ^anothing is better than when a person is happy in his activities, for that is his ¹lot. For who will bring him to see ^bwhat will occur after him?

There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a ^atime for every ¹matter under heaven—

9 ^aWhat advantage is there to the worker from that in which he labors? 10 I have seen the ^aendeavor which God has given the sons of men with which to occupy themselves.

11 He has ^amade everything ¹beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, ²yet so that man ^bwill not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.

12 I know that ¹there is ^anothing better for them than to be glad and to do good in one’s lifetime; 13 moreover, that every man who eats and drinks and sees good in all his labor—it is the ^agift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will be forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it—God has so worked that men should ^1afear Him. 15 That ^awhich is has been already and that which will be has already been, yet God seeks what is pursued.

16 Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is ^awickedness, and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness. 17 I said in my heart, “^aGod will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man,” for a ^btime for every ¹matter and for every work is there. 18 I said in my heart concerning the sons of men, “God is testing them in order for them to see that they are but ^abeasts.” 19 ^aFor the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same fate for each of them. As one dies so dies the other, and they all have the same breath. So there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is ¹vanity. 20 All go to the same place. All came from the ^adust, and all return to the dust. 21 Who knows that the ^abreath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth? 22 I have seen that ^anothing is better than that man should be glad in his works, for that is his portion. For who will bring him to see ^bwhat will occur after him?

There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a ^atime for every ¹event under heaven—

9 ^aWhat profit is there to the worker from that in which he toils? 10 I have seen the ^atask which God has given the sons of men with which to occupy themselves.

11 He has ^amade everything ¹appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, ²yet so that man ^bwill not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.

12 I know that there is ^anothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime; 13 moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—it is the ^agift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should ^1afear Him. 15 That ^awhich is has been already and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by.

16 Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is ^awickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness. 17 I said ¹to myself, “^aGod will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man,” for a ^btime for every ²matter and for every deed is there. 18 I said ¹to myself concerning the sons of men, “God has surely tested them in order for them to see that they are but ^abeasts.” 19 ^aFor the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts ¹is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is ²vanity. 20 All go to the same place. All came from the ^adust and all return to the dust. 21 Who knows that the ^abreath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth? 22 I have seen that ^anothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities, for that is his lot. For who will bring him to see ^bwhat will occur after him?