Ecclesiastes 3
Ways of reading
Basic English Bible (BBE). Give a touch to a verse number or bar to see other forms and knowledge.
The changes of human affairs
Verse 2
WEB a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
KJV A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
TSK time to be born: ge 17:21, ge 21:1,2, 1sa 2:5, 1ki 13:2, 2ki 4:16, ps 113:9, isa 54:1, lu 1:13,20,36, joh 16:21, ac 7:17,20, ga 4:4; and a time: ge 47:29, nu 20:24-28, nu 27:12-14, de 3:23-26, de 34:5, job 7:1, job 14:5,14, isa 38:1,5, joh 7:30, heb 9:27; a time to plant: ps 52:5, isa 5:2-5, jer 1:10, jer 18:7-10, jer 45:4, mt 13:28,29,41, mt 15:13
Verse 3
WEB a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
KJV A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
TSK time to kill: de 32:39, 1sa 2:6,25, ho 6:1,2; a time to heal: nu 26:6-9, isa 38:5-20, jer 33:6, lu 9:54-56, ac 5:15,16; a time to break: isa 5:5,6, isa 44:26, jer 31:28, jer 45:4, eze 13:14, da 9:25-27, zec 1:12
Verse 4
WEB a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
KJV A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
TSK time to weep: ne 8:9-12, ne 9:1-38, ps 30:5, ps 126:1,2,5,6, isa 22:12,13, mt 9:15, mt 11:17, joh 16:20-22, ro 12:15, 2co 7:10, jas 4:9; a time to laugh: ge 21:6, lu 1:13,14,58, lu 6:21-25; to dance: ex 15:20, 2sa 6:16
Verse 5
WEB a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
KJV A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
TSK to cast: jos 4:3-9, jos 10:27, 2sa 18:17,18, 2ki 3:25; a time to embrace: ex 19:15, 1sa 21:4,5, so 2:6,7, joe 2:16, 1co 7:5
Verse 6
WEB a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
KJV A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
TSK time to get: ge 30:30-43, ge 31:18, ex 12:35,36, de 8:17,18, 2ki 5:26, 2ki 8:9; an a time to lose: mt 16:25,26, mt 19:29, mr 8:35-37, mr 10:28-30, lu 9:24,25; and a time to cast: ec 11:1, 2ki 7:15, ps 112:9, isa 2:20, jon 1:5, ac 27:19,38, php 3:7,8, heb 10:34,35
Verse 7
WEB a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
KJV A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
TSK time to rend: ge 37:29,34, 2sa 1:11, 2sa 3:31, 1ki 21:27, 2ki 5:7, 2ki 6:30, jer 36:24, joe 2:13, ac 9:39; time to keep: job 2:13, ps 39:2, isa 36:21, jer 8:14, la 3:28, am 5:13, am 8:3, mic 7:5; and a time to speak: ge 44:18,34, 1sa 19:4,5, 1sa 25:24-44, es 4:13,14, es 7:4, job 32:4-37, pr 24:11,12, pr 31:8,9, lu 19:37-40, ac 4:20
Verse 8
WEB a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.
KJV A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
TSK time to love: eze 16:8, ps 139:21, eph 3:19, eph 5:25,28,29, tit 2:4; a time to hate: 2ch 19:2, lu 14:26, re 2:2; a time of war: ge 14:14-17, jos 8:1-29, jos 11:23, 2sa 10:6-19, 1ki 5:4, 2ch 20:1-29,30
Verse 9
WEB What profit has he who works in that in which he labors?
KJV What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
TSK What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?: ec 1:3, ec 2:11,22,23, ec 5:16, pr 14:23, mt 16:26
Verse 10
WEB I have seen the burden which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.
KJV I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
TSK I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.: ec 1:13,14, ec 2:26, ge 3:19, 1th 2:9, 2th 3:8
The holy counsels unchangeable
Verse 11
WEB He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts, yet so that man can’t find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end.
KJV He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
TSK hath made: ec 7:29, ge 1:31, de 32:4, mr 7:37; also: mt 13:22, ro 1:19,20,28; so: ec 8:17, job 11:7, job 37:23, ps 104:24, mt 11:27, ro 11:33
Verse 12
WEB I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live.
KJV I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
TSK but: ec 3:22, ec 9:7-9, de 28:63, ps 37:3, isa 64:5, lu 11:41, ac 20:35, php 4:4-9, 1th 5:15,16, 1ti 6:18
Verse 13
WEB Also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God.
KJV And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.
TSK And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.: ec 2:24, ec 5:18-20, ec 6:2, ec 9:7, de 28:30,31,47,48, jud 6:3-6, ps 128:2, isa 65:21-23
Verse 14
WEB I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; and God has done it, that men should fear before him.
KJV I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.
TSK whatsoever: ps 33:11, ps 119:90,91, isa 46:10, da 4:34,35, ac 2:23, ac 4:28, ro 11:36, eph 3:11, tit 1:2, jas 1:17; nothing: ps 76:10, pr 19:21, pr 21:30, pr 30:6, isa 10:12-15, da 8:8, da 11:2-4, joh 19:10,11,28-37, ac 5:39; God doeth it: ps 64:9, isa 59:18,19, re 15:4
Verse 15
WEB That which is has been long ago, and that which is to be has been long ago: and God seeks again that which is passed away.
KJV That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.
TSK which hath: ec 1:9,10
The vanity of worldly power
Verse 16
WEB 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.
KJV And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.
TSK That: ec 4:1, ec 5:8, 1ki 21:9-21, ps 58:1,2, ps 82:2-5, ps 94:21,22, isa 59:14, mic 2:2, mic 7:3, zep 3:3, mt 26:59, ac 23:3, jas 2:6
Verse 17
WEB 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.”
KJV I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.
TSK said: ec 1:16, ec 2:1; God: ec 12:14, ge 18:25, ps 98:9, mt 16:27, mt 25:31-46, joh 5:22,26-29, ac 17:31, ro 2:5-9, 1co 4:5, 2co 5:10, 2th 1:6-10, re 20:11-15; for: ec 3:1, jer 29:10,11, da 11:40, da 12:4,9,11-13, ac 1:7, 1th 5:1, 2pe 3:7,8, re 11:2,3,18, re 17:12-17, re 20:2,7-9
Verse 18
WEB I said in my heart, “As for the sons of men, God tests them, so that they may see that they themselves are like animals.
KJV I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.
TSK concerning: ge 3:17-19, job 14:1-4, job 15:16, ps 49:14,19,20, ps 73:18,19, ps 90:5-12, heb 9:27, 1pe 1:24; that God, etc: job 40:8, ps 51:4, ro 3:4, ro 9:23; and that: ps 73:22, 2pe 2:12
Verse 19
WEB For that which happens to the sons of men happens to animals. Even one thing happens to them. As the one dies, so the other dies. Yes, they have all one breath; and man has no advantage over the animals: for all is vanity.
KJV 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 breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
TSK that which: ec 2:16, ps 49:12,20, ps 92:6,7; as the: 2sa 14:14, job 14:10-12, ps 104:29; for: ec 2:20-23, ps 39:5,6, ps 89:47,48
Verse 20
WEB All go to one place. All are from the dust, and all turn to dust again.
KJV All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
TSK go: ec 3:21, ec 6:6, ec 9:10, ge 25:8,17, nu 27:13, job 7:9, job 17:13, job 30:24, ps 49:14; all are: ge 3:19, job 10:9,10, job 34:15, ps 104:29, da 12:2
Verse 21
WEB Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes downward to the earth?”
KJV Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
TSK knoweth: ec 12:7, lu 16:22,23, joh 14:3, ac 1:25, 2co 5:1,8, php 1:23
Verse 22
WEB Therefore I saw that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion: for who can bring him to see what will be after him?
KJV Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
TSK nothing: ec 3:11,12, ec 2:10,11,24, ec 5:18-20, ec 8:15, ec 9:7-9, ec 11:9, de 12:7,18, de 26:10,11, de 28:47, ro 12:11,12, php 4:4,5; who: ec 6:12, ec 8:7, ec 9:12, ec 10:14, job 14:21, da 12:9,10,13, mt 6:34