| To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven. | There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. |
| He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. | He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. |
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| I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God. | I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. |
| Again, I saw that for all toil and every skillful work a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind. | And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. |
| Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. | Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. |
| For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. | If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. |
| Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken. | Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. |
| When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed. | When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. |
| He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity. | Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. |
| When goods increase, They increase who eat them; So what profit have the owners Except to see them with their eyes? | As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owners except to feast their eyes on them? |
| As he came from his mother’s womb, naked shall he return, To go as he came; And he shall take nothing from his labor Which he may carry away in his hand. | Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb, and as everyone comes, so they depart. They take nothing from their toil that they can carry in their hands. |
| Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage. | This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. |
| As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God. | Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. |
| Do not say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not inquire wisely concerning this. | Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is not wise to ask such questions. |
| In the day of prosperity be joyful, But in the day of adversity consider: Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other, So that man can find out nothing that will come after him. | When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future. |
| Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. | When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, people’s hearts are filled with schemes to do wrong. |
| Go, eat your bread with joy, And drink your wine with a merry heart; For God has already accepted your works. | Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do. |
| The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, But the lips of a fool shall swallow him up. | Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips. |
| As you do not know what is the way of the wind, Or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, So you do not know the works of God who makes everything. | As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. |
| Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, And put away evil from your flesh, For childhood and youth are vanity. | So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body, for youth and vigor are meaningless. |
| Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, Before the difficult days come, And the years draw near when you say, “I have no pleasure in them” | Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them”. |
| Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. | Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. |
| For in much wisdom is much grief, And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow. | For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief. |
