Ecclesiastes 3

1 Alle thingis han tyme, and alle thingis vndur sunne passen bi her spaces.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:

2 Tyme of birthe, and time of diyng; tyme to plaunte, and tyme to drawe vp that that is plauntid.

a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

3 Tyme to sle, and tyme to make hool; tyme to distrie, and tyme to bilde.

a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

4 Tyme to wepe, and tyme to leiye; tyme to biweile, and tyme to daunse.

a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

5 Tyme to scatere stoonys, and tyme to gadere togidere; tyme to colle, and tyme to be fer fro collyngis.

a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

6 Tyme to wynne, and tyme to leese; tyme to kepe, and tyme to caste awei.

a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

7 Tyme to kitte, and tyme to sewe togidere; tyme to be stille, and tyme to speke.

a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

8 Tyme of loue, and tyme of hatrede; tyme of batel, and tyme of pees.

a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

9 What hath a man more of his trauel?

What profit has he who works in that in which he labors?

10 I siy the turment, which God yaf to the sones of men, that thei be occupied therynne.

I have seen the burden which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.

11 God made alle thingis good in her tyme, and yaf the world to disputyng of hem, that a man fynde not the werk which God hath wrouyt fro the bigynnyng `til in to the ende.

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.

12 And Y knew that no thing was betere `to a man, `no but to be glad, and to do good werkis in his lijf.

I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live.

13 For whi ech man that etith and drinkith, and seeth good of his trauel; this is the yifte of God.

Also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God.

14 I haue lerned that alle werkis, whiche God made, lasten stidfastli `til in to with outen ende; we moun not adde ony thing to tho, nether take awei fro tho thingis, whiche God made, that he be dred.

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.

15 That thing that is maad, dwellith perfitli; tho thingis that schulen come, weren bifore; and God restorith that, that is goon.

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.

16 I siy vndur sunne vnfeithfulnesse in the place of doom; and wickidnesse in the place of riytfulnesse.

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.

17 And Y seide in myn herte, The Lord schal deme a iust man, and an vnfeithful man; and the tyme of ech thing schal be thanne.

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."

18 I seide in myn herte of the sones of men, that God schulde preue hem, and schewe that thei ben lijk vnresonable beestis.

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.

19 Therfor oon is the perisching of man and of beestis, and euene condicioun is of euer eithir; as a man dieth, `so and tho beestis dien; alle beestis brethen in lijk maner, and a man hath no thing more than a beeste.

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.

20 Alle thingis ben suget to vanyte, and alle thingis goen to o place; tho ben maad of erthe, and tho turnen ayen togidere in to erthe.

All go to one place. All are from the dust, and all turn to dust again.

21 Who knowith, if the spirit of the sones of Adam stieth vpward, and if the spirit of beestis goith dounward?

Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes downward to the earth?"

22 And Y perseyuede that no thing is betere, than that a man be glad in his werk, and that this be his part; for who schal brynge hym, that he knowe thingis that schulen come after hym?

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?