Ecclesiastes (Kohelet)

the sky? All your days are pain, your occupation bitterness, and even at night .23 your mind does not rest, and this too is empty breath. There is no good for man to find, but that he eat and drink and show him- 24 self some good of all his labor; this I saw to be a gift from God. For who 25 will eat, who will hasten after my craving if not 1? He gave wisdom and 26 insight and joy to those who are satisfied with what they have; and to sin- ners He gave a preoccupation with gathering and collecting, only to give it all to the one who pleases God. This too is shallow breath; but courting the wind. Everything has its moment; a time for every deed beneath the sky. 31 A time for birth, a time for death; 2 a time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. Atime to kill, atime to heal; 3 a time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to weep, a time to laugh; 4 a time for eulogy and a time for dance. s A time to cast away stones, a time to gather up stones; a time to embrace and a time to hold back from embracing. A time to seek, atime to lose; 6 a time to keep and a time to cast aside. Atime to sever, a time to sew; 7 a time to be silent and a time to speak. A time to love, atime to hate; 8 a time of war and a time for peace. What profit has the one who works, from all his labor? I have seen the ן occupation that God gave mortal man to torment himself with. He made 11 everything right in its proper time, He placed eternity in their minds; and no man ever fathoms what it is that God is working from beginning to end. And so I know that there is no good for them but to be joyful 12 and to do what is good in their lifetime. And if any man eats and drinks .13 and sees some good of all his labor - that is a gift from God. And I know 14