English Standard Version
Ecclesiastes 3:4
4a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
Ecclesiastes 3:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
- New International Version (NIV)a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
- New King James Version (NKJV)A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance;
- New Living Translation (NLT)A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance.
Context of Ecclesiastes 3:4
2a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 3a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
Read all of Ecclesiastes 3Ecclesiastes 3:4 word by word
עֵ֤ת לִבְכּוֹת֙ וְעֵ֣ת לִשְׂח֔וֹק עֵ֥ת סְפ֖וֹד וְעֵ֥ת רְקֽוֹד׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 3:4
- Nehemiah 8:9And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep." For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law.
- Nehemiah 9:1Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the people of Israel were assembled with fasting and in sackcloth, and with earth on their heads.
- Psalms 30:5For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.
- Psalms 126:1When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.
- Isaiah 22:12In that day the Lord God of hosts called for weeping and mourning, for baldness and wearing sackcloth;
- Matthew 9:15And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.
- Matthew 11:17"'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.'
- John 16:20Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.
- Romans 12:15Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
- 2 Corinthians 7:10For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.
- James 4:9Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.
- Genesis 21:6And Sarah said, "God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me."
- Luke 1:13But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
- Luke 6:21"Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. "Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.
- Exodus 15:20Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and dancing.
- 2 Samuel 6:16As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 3:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4A time to weep, - laugh, - mourn, - dance - - "When private griefs affect The heart, our tears with decent sorrow flow; Nor less becoming, when the public mourns, To vent the deepest sighs. But all around When things a smiling aspect bear, our souls May well exult; 'tis then a time for joy."Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-8We cannot control when we are born or when we die (Ecclesiastes 8:8), but we must live wisely between those events. plant and...uproot: Make wise agricultural decisions during the natural seasons. In ancient Israel, times to kill included capital punishment and war. During mourning, people in the Near East often tore their clothes. There is a time to hate, even for God (Psalms 5:5; 11:5).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. mourn--namely, for the dead (Ge 23:2). dance--as David before the ark (2Sa 6:12-14; Psa 30:11); spiritually (Mt 9:15; Lu 6:21; 15:25). The Pharisees, by requiring sadness out of time, erred seriously.Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 3:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries