Ecclesiastes 3:4
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to weepe, and a time to laugh: a time to mourne, and a time to dance.
Narration uses the Pure Cambridge Edition.
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From verse 4
- Psalms 30:5Rank 1 from verse 4
- Romans 12:15Rank 2 from verse 4
- John 16:20–22Rank 4 from verse 4
20Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.
21A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.
22And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.
20Uerily, verily I say vnto you, that ye shall weepe and lament, but the world shall reioyce: And ye shall be sorrowfull, but your sorrow shall be turned into ioy.
21A woman, when she is in trauaile, hath sorrow, because her houre is come: but assoone as she is deliuered of the child, she remembreth no more the anguish, for ioy that a man is borne into the world.
22And ye now therefore haue sorrow: but I will see you againe, and your heart shall reioyce, and your ioy no man taketh from you.
- Psalms 126:1–2Rank 5 from verse 4
1WHEN the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.
2Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them.
1¶ When the LORD turned againe the captiuitie of Zion: wee were like them that dreame.
2†Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing, then said they among the heathen: The LORD hath done great things for them.
- Psalms 126:5–6Rank 6 from verse 4
5They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
6He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
5‖They that sow in teares: shall reape in ioy.
6‖He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtlesse come againe with reioycing: bringing his sheaues with him.
- 2 Corinthians 7:10Rank 7 from verse 4
- Exodus 15:20Rank 8 from verse 4
- Luke 6:21–25Rank 10 from verse 4
21Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.
22Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.
23Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.
24But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.
25Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.
21Blessed are yee that hunger now: for yee shall be filled. Blessed are yee that weepe now, for yee shall laugh.
22Blessed are yee when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shal reproach you, and cast out your name as euill, for the Sonne of mans sake.
23Reioice yee in that day, and leape for ioy: for behold, your reward is great in heauen for in the like maner did their fathers vnto the Prophets.
24*But woe vnto you that are rich: for yee haue receiued your consolation.
25*Woe vnto you that are full: for yee shall hunger. Woe vnto you that laugh now: for yee shall mourne and weepe.
- 2 Samuel 6:16Rank 11 from verse 4
16And as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal Saul’s daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.
16And as the Arke of the LORD came into the citie of Dauid, Michal Sauls daughter looked through a window, and saw king Dauid leaping and dauncing before the LORD, and she despised him in her heart.
- Luke 1:13–14Rank 12 from verse 4
13But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
14And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
13But the Angel said vnto him, Feare not, Zacharias, for thy prayer is heard, and thy wife Elizabeth shall beare thee a sonne, and thou shalt call his name Iohn.
14And thou shalt haue ioy and gladnesse, and many shall reioyce at his birth:
- Matthew 11:17Rank 13 from verse 4
- Matthew 9:15Rank 14 from verse 4
15And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.
15And Iesus saide vnto them, Can the children of the bride-chamber mourne, as long as the bridegrome is with them? But the dayes will come when the bridegrome shall bee taken from them, and then shall they fast.
- Genesis 21:6Rank 15 from verse 4
- Isaiah 22:12–13Rank 16 from verse 4
12And in that day did the Lord God of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:
13And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall die.
12And in that day did the LORD God of hostes call to weeping and to mourning, and to baldnesse, and to girding with sackecloth.
13*And behold ioy and gladnesse, slaying oxen and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine; let vs eate and drinke, for to morrow we shall die.
- Nehemiah 8:9–12Rank 17 from verse 4
9¶ And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the Lord your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.
10Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
11So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.
12And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
9¶ And Nehemiah, which is the ‖Tirshatha, and Ezra the Priest the Scribe, and the Leuites that taught the people, said vnto all the people, This day is holy vnto the LORD your God, mourne not, nor weepe: for all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law.
10Then hee sayd vnto them, Goe your way, eat the fat, & drinke the sweet, and send portions vnto them, for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy vnto our LORD: neither be ye sory, for the ioy of the LORD is your strength.
11So the Leuites stilled all the people, saying, Holde your peace, for the day is holy, neither be ye grieued.
12And all the people went their way to eate, and to drinke, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had vnderstood the wordes that were declared vnto them.
- Nehemiah 9:1–38Rank 18 from verse 4
1NOW in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them.
2And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.
3And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the Lord their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the Lord their God.
4¶ Then stood up upon the stairs, of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, and cried with a loud voice unto the Lord their God.
5Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless the Lord your God for ever and ever: and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.
6Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.
7Thou art the Lord the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham;
8And foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Jebusites, and the Girgashites, to give it, I say, to his seed, and hast performed thy words; for thou art righteous:
9And didst see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heardest their cry by the Red sea;
10And shewedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them. So didst thou get thee a name, as it is this day.
11And thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their persecutors thou threwest into the deeps, as a stone into the mighty waters.
12Moreover thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go.
13Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments:
14And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant:
15And gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and promisedst them that they should go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them.
16But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments,
17And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.
18Yea, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is thy God that brought thee up out of Egypt, and had wrought great provocations;
19Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go.
20Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.
21Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.
22Moreover thou gavest them kingdoms and nations, and didst divide them into corners: so they possessed the land of Sihon, and the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan.
23Their children also multipliedst thou as the stars of heaven, and broughtest them into the land, concerning which thou hadst promised to their fathers, that they should go in to possess it.
24So the children went in and possessed the land, and thou subduedst before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gavest them into their hands, with their kings, and the people of the land, that they might do with them as they would.
25And they took strong cities, and a fat land, and possessed houses full of all goods, wells digged, vineyards, and oliveyards, and fruit trees in abundance: so they did eat, and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselves in thy great goodness.
26Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.
27Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies.
28But after they had rest, they did evil again before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies;
29And testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments, (which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.
30Yet many years didst thou forbear them, and testifiedst against them by thy spirit in thy prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands.
31Nevertheless for thy great mercies’ sake thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God.
32Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day.
33Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us; for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly:
34Neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies, wherewith thou didst testify against them.
35For they have not served thee in their kingdom, and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them, and in the large and fat land which thou gavest before them, neither turned they from their wicked works.
36Behold, we are servants this day, and for the land that thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof, behold, we are servants in it:
37And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins: also they have dominion over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.
38And because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, Levites, and priests, seal unto it.
1¶ Now in the *twentie and fourth day of this moneth, the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, & with sackclothes, and earth vpon them.
2And the seede of Israel separated themselues from all †strangers, and stood and confessed their sinnes, and the iniquities of their fathers.
3And they stood vp in their place, and read in the booke of the Law of the LORD their God, one fourth part of the day, and another fourth part they confessed and worshipped the LORD their God.
4¶ Then stoode vp, vpon the ‖staires of the Leuites, Ieshua and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, and cryed with a loude voice vnto the LORD their God.
5Then the Leuites, Ieshua and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodiiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, sayde, Stand vp, and blesse the LORD your God for euer and euer, and blessed bee thy glorious Name, which is exalted aboue all blessing and praise.
6Thou, euen thou art LORD alone, *thou hast made heauen, the heauen of heauens, with all their hoste, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therin, and thou preseruest them all, and the hoste of heauen worshippeth thee.
7Thou art the LORD the God, who diddest choose *Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Caldees, and gauest him the name of Abraham:
8And foundest his heart *faithfull before thee, & madest a *couenant with him, to giue the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Iebusites, and the Girgashites, to giue it, I say, to his seed, and hast performed thy words, for thou art righteous,
9*And didst see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heardest their cry by the red Sea,
10And shewedst signes and *wonders vpon Pharaoh, and on all his seruants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they dealt proudlie against them: so didst thou get thee a name, as it is this day.
11*And thou didst diuide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the drie land, and their persecutours thou threwest into the deepes, as a stone into the mightie *waters.
12Moreouer thou *leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar, and in the night, by a pillar of fire, to giue them light in the way wherin they should go.
13Thou *camest downe also vpon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heauen, and gauest them right iudgements, and †true lawes, good statutes and commandements:
14And madest knowen vnto them thy holy Sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and lawes, by the hand of Moses thy seruant:
15And *gauest them bread from heauen for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rocke, for their thirst, and promisedst them that they should *goe in to possesse the land, †which thou hadst sworne to giue them.
16But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkned not to thy commandements:
17And refused to obey, neither were mindful of the wonders that thou didst among them: but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed *a captaine to returne to their bondage: but thou art †a God ready to pardon, gracious and mercifull, slow to anger, and of great kindnes, & forsookest them not.
18Yea *when they had made them a molten calfe, and said, This is thy God, that brought thee vp out of Egypt, and had wrought great prouocations:
19Yet thou, in thy manifold mercies, forsookest them not in the wildernesse: the *pillar of the cloude departed not from them by day, to leade them in the way, neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherin they should goe.
20Thou gauest also thy *good spirit, to instruct them, and withheldest not thy *Manna from their mouth, and gauest them water for their thirst.
21Yea fourtie yeeres diddest thou sustaine them in the wildernesse, so that they lacked nothing; their *clothes wared not old, and their feet swelled not.
22Moreouer, thou gauest them kingdomes and nations, and didst diuide them into corners: so they possessed the land of *Sihon, and the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan.
23Their children also multipliedst thou as the starres of heauen, and broughtest them into the land, concerning which thou hadst promised to their fathers, that they should goe in to possesse it.
24So the children went in, and possessed the land, and thou subduedst before them the inhabitants of the lande, the Canaanites, and gauest them into their hands, with their kings, and the people of the land, that they might doe with them, †as they would.
25And they tooke strong cities, and a fat land, and possessed houses ful of all goods, ‖welles digged, vineyards, and Olive yards, and †fruit trees in abundance: So they did eat and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselues in thy great goodnesse.
26Neuerthelesse, they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backes, and slewe thy *prophets, which testified against them to turne them to thee, and they wrought great prouocations.
27Therefore thou deliueredst them into the hande of their enemies, who vexed them, & in the time of their trouble, when they cried vnto thee, thou heardest them from heauen: and according to thy manifold mercies, thou gauest them sauiours, who saued them out of the hand of their enemies.
28But after they had rest, †they did euill againe before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion ouer them: yet when they returned and cried vnto thee, thou heardest them from heauen, and many times didst thou deliuer them, according to thy mercies:
29And testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them againe vnto thy lawe: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not vnto thy commaundements, but sinned against thy iudgements, (which if a man doe, he shal liue in them) †and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their necke, and would not heare.
30Yet many yeres diddest thou †forbeare them, and testifiedst *against them by the Spirit †in thy Prophets: yet would they not giue eare: therefore gauest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands.
31Neuerthelesse, for thy great mercies sake, thou diddest not vtterly consume them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and mercifull God.
32Now therefore, our God, the great, the *mightie, and the terrible God, who keepest couenant and mercie: let not all the †trouble seeme little before thee, †that hath come vpon vs, on our Kings, on our Princes, & on our Priests, and on our Prophets, & on our fathers, & on al thy people, since the time of the Kings of Assyria, vnto this day.
33Howbeit, thou art iust in all that is brought vpon vs, for thou hast done right, but we haue done wickedly:
34Neither haue our kings, our Princes, our Priests, nor our fathers kept thy Law, nor hearkened vnto thy Commandements, and thy Testimonies, wherewith thou didst testifie against them.
35For they haue not serued thee in their kingdome, and in thy great goodnesse that thou gauest them, and in the large and fat land which thou gauest before them, neither turned they from their wicked workes.
36Behold, we are seruants this day; and for the land that thou gauest vnto our fathers, to eat the fruit thereof, and the good thereof, behold, wee are seruants in it.
37And it yeeldeth much increase vnto the kings, whom thou hast set ouer vs, because of our sinnes: also they haue dominion ouer our bodies, and ouer our cattell, at their pleasure; and wee are in great distresse.
38And because of all this, wee make a sure couenant, and write it, and our Princes, Leuites, and Priestes, †seale vnto it.
WORDS IN THIS PASSAGE
Definitions
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DEFINED WORDS
Ecclesiastes 3:4
A particular portion or part of duration, whether past, present or future.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
To shed tears or lament in grief, sorrow, compassion, repentance, joy, or other deep feeling.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
Sense 1: To express mirth, joy, or gladness by laughter. Sense 2: To laugh at in mockery, scorn, or derision.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828
Sense 1: To grieve, sorrow, lament, weep, or express distress. Sense 2: To show the effects of ruin and sorrow.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
Sense 1: To move the body or feet rhythmically, often in joy or celebration. Sense 2: Such movement.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
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Surrounding Verses
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3A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
3A time to kill, and a time to heale: a time to breake downe, and a time to build vp.
4A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
4A time to weepe, and a time to laugh: a time to mourne, and a time to dance.
Selected passage5A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
5†A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together: a time to imbrace, and a time to refraine from imbracing.