The exact words
The passage
The third chapter of Ecclesiastes opens with one of the best-known passages in the Bible: “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” What follows is a list of fourteen pairs of opposites: “a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a 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.” It ends with “a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”
The rhythm, in the King James Version of 1611, is part of its power. Each line swings between two poles, like the seasons of the year, and together they cover the whole of a human life.
What it means
The obvious reading is comforting. Grief has its season and will pass; joy will have its turn. Everything comes at its proper time, and none of it lasts forever. That is why the passage is read so often at funerals, and also at weddings and retirements.
Ecclesiastes, though, is one of the most questioning books in the Bible. Its author, who calls himself Qoheleth, “the Preacher,” begins by declaring “vanity of vanities; all is vanity” and spends much of the book wondering what lasting value human effort has. Right after the list, he says God has “set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.” We live through the seasons without seeing the whole pattern. The comfort is real, but it comes with humility.
A folk-rock hit
In 1959 the folk singer Pete Seeger set the passage to music, adding only the refrain “Turn! Turn! Turn!” and a final line, “I swear it’s not too late.” The Byrds’ version reached number one in the United States in December 1965, at the height of the Vietnam War, and gave “a time for peace” new urgency. It is often called the number one hit with the oldest lyrics.
How to use it
Choose the pairs that fit the occasion. “A time to weep, and a time to laugh” suits a funeral; “a time to plant” and “a time to build up” a retirement; “a time to embrace” a wedding. Read slowly and let each pair breathe.
What people get wrong
A purely comforting passage saying everything happens for a reason.
Ecclesiastes is one of the Bible's most questioning books. The passage says every season comes in its time, but the writer goes on to admit that humans cannot see the whole pattern.
Timeline
- c. 450–200 BCEcclesiastes is written, according to most scholars, by a teacher who calls himself Qoheleth, “the Preacher.” Tradition credits King Solomon.
- 1611The King James Version gives the English wording quoted today.
- 1959Pete Seeger sets the passage to music as “Turn! Turn! Turn!”, adding only the title words and one closing line.
- 1965The Byrds' recording of “Turn! Turn! Turn!” reaches number one in the United States.
Use it in a speech
Questions people ask
Where is “To every thing there is a season” in the Bible?
Ecclesiastes 3:1. The famous list of “a time to” pairs runs through verse 8.
Who wrote Ecclesiastes?
The author calls himself Qoheleth, usually translated “the Preacher” or “the Teacher,” and “son of David, king in Jerusalem.” Tradition says King Solomon; most modern scholars date it much later.
Is “Turn! Turn! Turn!” from the Bible?
Almost entirely. Pete Seeger took the words from Ecclesiastes 3, adding the refrain “Turn! Turn! Turn!” and the final line “I swear it's not too late.”
Cite this quote
These cite the original source directly, so you can use them in an essay or paper. Always check your teacher's required style.