Ecclesiastes 3:4

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,
• English Standard Version (ESV)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;

Context of Ecclesiastes 3:4

2A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot what was 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 throw away stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6A time to search, and a time to give something up as lost; a time to keep, and a time to throw away;

Ecclesiastes 3:4 word by word

עֵ֤ת לִבְכּוֹת֙ וְעֵ֣ת לִשְׂח֔וֹק עֵ֥ת סְפ֖וֹד וְעֵ֥ת רְקֽוֹד׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• A timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• to weepבָּכָהbâkâh · to weepH1058
• to laughשָׂחַקώâchaq · to laughH7832
• to mournסָפַדsâphad · to mournH5594
• to danceרָקַדrâqad · to skip aboutH7540

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 3:4

• Nehemiah 8:9Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priestly scribe, and the Levites who were imparting understanding to the people said to all of them, “This day is holy to the lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping when they heard the words of the law.
• Nehemiah 9:1On the twenty-fourth day of this same month the Israelites assembled; they were fasting and wearing sackcloth, their heads covered with dust.
• Psalms 30:5For his anger lasts only a brief moment, and his good favor restores one’s life. One may experience sorrow during the night, but joy arrives in the morning.
• Psalms 126:1When the Lord restored the well-being of Zion, we thought we were dreaming.
• Isaiah 22:12At that time the sovereign master, the Lord who commands armies, called for weeping and mourning, for shaved heads and sackcloth.
• Matthew 9:15Jesus said to them, “The wedding guests cannot mourn while the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days are coming when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and then they will fast.
• Matthew 11:17‘We played the flute for you, yet you did not dance; we wailed in mourning, yet you did not weep.’
• John 16:20I tell you the solemn truth, you will weep and wail, but the world will rejoice; you will be sad, but your sadness will turn into joy.
• Romans 12:15Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
• 2 Corinthians 7:10For sadness as intended by God produces a repentance that leads to salvation, leaving no regret, but worldly sadness brings about death.
• James 4:9Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter into mourning and your joy into despair.
• Genesis 21:6Sarah said, “God has made me laugh. Everyone who hears about this will laugh with 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; you will name him John.
• Luke 6:21“Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
• Exodus 15:20Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a hand-drum in her hand, and all the women went out after her with hand-drums and with dances.
• 2 Samuel 6:16As the ark of the Lord entered the City of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked out the window. When she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him.

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

• Dancing
• Laughter

In the dictionaries

• Dance
• Judge
• Games
• Laughter
• Providence
• Synagogue, the Great

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