Study Desk

There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a ^(C1)time for every matter under heaven—

A time to give birth and a ^(C1)time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.

A ^(C1)time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up.

A time to ^(C1)weep and a time to ^(C2)laugh; A time to mourn and a time to ^(C3)dance.

A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.

A time to search and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep and a time to throw away.

A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to ^(C1)be silent and a time to speak.

A time to love and a time to ^(C1)hate; A time for war and a time for peace.

^(C1)What benefit is there for the worker from that in which he labors?

I have seen the ^(C1)task which God has given the sons of mankind with which to ^(F1)occupy themselves.

He has ^(C1)made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, without the possibility that mankind ^(C2)will find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.

I know that there is ^(C1)nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one's lifetime;

moreover, that every person who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—this is the ^(C1)gift of God.

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 ^(F1)(C1)fear Him.

^(C1)That which is, is what has already been, and that which will be has already been; and God ^(F1)seeks what has passed by.

Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is ^(C1)wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.

I said ^(F1)to myself, "^(C1)God will judge the righteous and the wicked," for a ^(C2)time for every matter and for every deed ^(F2)is there.

I said ^(F1)to myself regarding the sons of mankind, "God is testing them in order for them to see that they are as ^(C1)animals, they to themselves."

^(C1)For the fate of the sons of mankind and the fate of animals ^(F1)is 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.

All go to the same place. All came from the ^(C1)dust and all return to the dust.

Who knows that the ^(C1)spirit of the sons of mankind ascends upward and the spirit of the animal descends downward to the earth?

I have seen that ^(C1)nothing is better than when a person is happy in his activities, for that is his ^(F1)lot. For who will bring him to see ^(C2)what will occur after him?

Then I looked again at all the acts of ^(C1)oppression which were being done under the sun. And behold, I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had ^(C2)no one to comfort them; and power was on the side of their oppressors, but they had no one to comfort them.

So ^(C1)I congratulated the dead who are already dead, more than the living who are still living.

But ^(C1)better off than both of them is the one who has never existed, who has never seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.

I have seen that every labor and every ^(C1)skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a person and his neighbor. This too is ^(C2)futility and striving after wind.

The fool ^(C1)folds his hands and ^(C2)consumes his own flesh.

One hand full of rest is ^(C1)better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.

Then I looked again at futility under the sun.

There was a man without a ^(F1)dependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, ^(C1)his eyes were not satisfied with riches, and he never asked, "And ^(C2)for whom do I labor and deprive myself of pleasure?" This too is futility, and it is an ^(C3)unhappy task.

Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor;

for if ^(F1)either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not ^(F2)another to lift him up!

Furthermore, if two lie down together they ^(F1)keep warm, but ^(C1)how can one be warm alone?

And if ^(F1)one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

A ^(C1)poor yet wise youth is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive ^(F1)instruction—

for he has come ^(C1)out of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom.

I have seen all those living under the sun move to the side of the second youth who ^(F1)replaces him.

There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them. Even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him; for this too is ^(C1)futility and striving after wind.