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The Holy Tanakh: Ecclesiastes: Chapter 3
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{7}
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
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{8}
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.
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{9}
What profit hath he that worketh in that he laboureth?
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{10}
I have seen the task which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.
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{11}
He hath made every thing beautiful in its time; also He hath set the world in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end.
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{12}
I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to get pleasure so long as they live.
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{13}
But also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy pleasure for all his labour, is the gift of God.
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{14}
I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever; nothing can be added to it, nor any thing taken from it; and God hath so made it, that men should fear before Him.
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{15}
That which is hath been long ago, and that which is to be hath already been; and God seeketh that which is pursued.
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{16}
And 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.
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{17}
I said in my heart: 'The righteous and the wicked God will judge; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.'
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{18}
I said in my heart: 'It is because of the sons of men, that God may sift them, and that they may see that they themselves are but as beasts.'
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{19}
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 man hath no pre-eminence above a beast; for all is vanity.
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{20}
All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all return to dust.
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{21}
Who knoweth the spirit of man whether it goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast whether it goeth downward to the earth?
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{22}
Wherefore I perceived that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion; for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
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The Holy Tanakh: Ecclesiastes: Chapter 4
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{1}
But I returned and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun; and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power, but they had no comforter.
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{2}
Wherefore I praised the dead that are already dead more than the living that are yet alive;
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{3}
but better than they both is he that hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
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{4}
Again, I considered all labour and all excelling in work, that it is a man's rivalry with his neighbour. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
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{5}
The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
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