{"meta":{"source":"Prime Bible","sourceUrl":"https://primebible.com","license":"Public domain (translation text); see citation policy at /citation-policy","organization":"501(c)(3) nonprofit — EIN 41-2531951","canonicalUrl":"https://primebible.com/dbt/ecclesiastes/3","llmTxt":"https://primebible.com/llms.txt","generatedAt":"2026-05-29T22:11:15.273Z"},"reference":{"translation":"DBT","book":"Ecclesiastes","bookSlug":"ecclesiastes","chapter":3,"testament":"OLD"},"navigation":{"previousChapter":2,"nextChapter":4,"totalChapters":12,"totalVerses":22},"verses":[{"verseNumber":1,"text":"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heavens:"},{"verseNumber":2,"text":"A time to be born, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;"},{"verseNumber":3,"text":"A time to kill, and a time to heal; A time to break down, and a time to build up;"},{"verseNumber":4,"text":"A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance;"},{"verseNumber":5,"text":"A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;"},{"verseNumber":6,"text":"A time to seek, and a time to lose; A time to keep, and a time to cast away;"},{"verseNumber":7,"text":"A time to rend, and a time to sew; A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;"},{"verseNumber":8,"text":"A time to love, and a time to hate; A time of war, and a time of peace."},{"verseNumber":9,"text":"What profit hath he that worketh from that wherein he laboureth?"},{"verseNumber":10,"text":"I have seen the travail that God hath given to the sons of men to toil in."},{"verseNumber":11,"text":"He hath made everything beautiful in its time; also he hath set the world in their heart, so that man findeth not out from the beginning to the end the work that God doeth."},{"verseNumber":12,"text":"I know that there is nothing good for them but to rejoice and to do well in their life;"},{"verseNumber":13,"text":"yea also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labour, it is the gift of God."},{"verseNumber":14,"text":"I know that whatever God doeth, it shall be for ever; there is nothing to be added to it, nor anything to be taken from it; and God doeth it, that men should fear before him."},{"verseNumber":15,"text":"That which is was long ago, and that which is to be hath already been; and God bringeth back again that which is past."},{"verseNumber":16,"text":"And moreover I saw under the sun, that in the place of judgment, wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, wickedness was there."},{"verseNumber":17,"text":"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."},{"verseNumber":18,"text":"I said in my heart, It is thus with the children of men, that God may prove them, and that they should see that they themselves are but beasts."},{"verseNumber":19,"text":"For what befalleth the children of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other, and they have all one breath; and man hath no pre-eminence above the beast: for all is vanity."},{"verseNumber":20,"text":"All go unto one place: all are of the dust, and all return to dust."},{"verseNumber":21,"text":"Who knoweth the spirit of the children of men? Doth it go upwards? and the spirit of the beasts, doth it go downwards to the earth?"},{"verseNumber":22,"text":"And I have seen that there is nothing better than that man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion; for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?"}],"citation":{"inline":"Ecclesiastes 3 (DBT)","markdown":"[Ecclesiastes 3](https://primebible.com/dbt/ecclesiastes/3)","sbl":"Prime Bible. *The Bible.* DBT. https://primebible.com/dbt/ecclesiastes/3 (accessed 2026-05-29)."}}