Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 3:1–8

¹To everything there is a season,

and a time for every purpose under heaven:

²a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

³a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to break down and a time to build,

⁴a 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 search and a time to count as lost,

a time to keep and a time to discard,

⁷a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

⁸a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace.

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
To everything	לַכֹּ֖ל	lak·kōl	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3605 the whole, all
there is a season	זְמָ֑ן	zə·mān	Noun - masculine singular	H2165 appointed time, time
and a time	וְעֵ֥ת	wə·‘êṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - common singular	H6256 time
for every	לְכָל־	lə·ḵāl	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
purpose	חֵ֖פֶץ	ḥê·p̄eṣ	Noun - masculine singular	H2656 delight, pleasure
under	תַּ֥חַת	ta·ḥaṯ	Preposition	H8478 the under part
heaven	הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ס	haš·šā·mā·yim	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H8064 sky, aloft

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
a time	עֵ֥ת	‘êṯ	Noun - common singular	H6256 time
to be born	לָלֶ֖דֶת	lā·le·ḏeṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H3205 bear, bring forth, beget
and a time	וְעֵ֣ת	wə·‘êṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - common singular	H6256 time
to die	לָמ֑וּת	lā·mūṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H4191 die
a time	עֵ֣ת	‘êṯ	Noun - common singular	H6256 time
to plant	לָטַ֔עַת	lā·ṭa·‘aṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H5193 strike, fix, plant
and a time	וְעֵ֖ת	wə·‘êṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - common singular	H6256 time
to uproot	לַעֲק֥וֹר	la·‘ă·qō·wr	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H6131 pluck or root up

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
a time	עֵ֤ת	‘êṯ	Noun - common singular	H6256 time
to kill	לַהֲרוֹג֙	la·hă·rō·wḡ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H2026 kill, slay
and a time	וְעֵ֣ת	wə·‘êṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - common singular	H6256 time
to heal	לִרְפּ֔וֹא	lir·pō·w	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H7495 heal
a time	עֵ֥ת	‘êṯ	Noun - common singular	H6256 time
to break down	לִפְר֖וֹץ	lip̄·rō·wṣ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H6555 break through
and a time	וְעֵ֥ת	wə·‘êṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - common singular	H6256 time
to build	לִבְנֽוֹת׃	liḇ·nō·wṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H1129 build

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
a time	עֵ֤ת	‘êṯ	Noun - common singular	H6256 time
to weep	לִבְכּוֹת֙	liḇ·kō·wṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H1058 weep, bewail
and a time	וְעֵ֣ת	wə·‘êṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - common singular	H6256 time
to laugh	לִשְׂח֔וֹק	liś·ḥō·wq	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H7832 laugh
a time	עֵ֥ת	‘êṯ	Noun - common singular	H6256 time
to mourn	סְפ֖וֹד	sə·p̄ō·wḏ	Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H5594 wail, lament
and a time	וְעֵ֥ת	wə·‘êṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - common singular	H6256 time
to dance	רְקֽוֹד׃	rə·qō·wḏ	Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H7540 skip about

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
a time	עֵ֚ת	‘êṯ	Noun - common singular	H6256 time
to cast away	לְהַשְׁלִ֣יךְ	lə·haš·lîḵ	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H7993 throw, fling, cast
stones	אֲבָנִ֔ים	’ă·ḇā·nîm	Noun - feminine plural	H68 stone
and a time	וְעֵ֖ת	wə·‘êṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - common singular	H6256 time
to gather	כְּנ֣וֹס	kə·nō·ws	Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H3664 gather, collect
stones	אֲבָנִ֑ים	’ă·ḇā·nîm	Noun - feminine plural	H68 stone
a time	עֵ֣ת	‘êṯ	Noun - common singular	H6256 time
to embrace	לַחֲב֔וֹק	la·ḥă·ḇō·wq	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H2263 clasp, embrace
and a time	וְעֵ֖ת	wə·‘êṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - common singular	H6256 time
to refrain	לִרְחֹ֥ק	lir·ḥōq	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H7368 be, or become, far, distant
from embracing	מֵחַבֵּֽק׃	mê·ḥab·bêq	Preposition-m; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct	H2263 clasp, embrace

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
a time	עֵ֤ת	‘êṯ	Noun - common singular	H6256 time
to search	לְבַקֵּשׁ֙	lə·ḇaq·qêš	Preposition-l; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct	H1245 seek
and a time	וְעֵ֣ת	wə·‘êṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - common singular	H6256 time
to count as lost	לְאַבֵּ֔ד	lə·’ab·bêḏ	Preposition-l; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct	H6 perish
a time	עֵ֥ת	‘êṯ	Noun - common singular	H6256 time
to keep	לִשְׁמ֖וֹר	liš·mō·wr	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H8104 keep, watch, preserve
and a time	וְעֵ֥ת	wə·‘êṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - common singular	H6256 time
to discard	לְהַשְׁלִֽיךְ׃	lə·haš·lîḵ	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H7993 throw, fling, cast

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
a time	עֵ֤ת	‘êṯ	Noun - common singular	H6256 time
to tear	לִקְר֙וֹעַ֙	liq·rō·w·a‘	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H7167 tear
and a time	וְעֵ֣ת	wə·‘êṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - common singular	H6256 time
to mend	לִתְפּ֔וֹר	liṯ·pō·wr	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H8609 sew together
a time	עֵ֥ת	‘êṯ	Noun - common singular	H6256 time
to be silent	לַחֲשׁ֖וֹת	la·ḥă·šō·wṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H2814 be silent, inactive, still
and a time	וְעֵ֥ת	wə·‘êṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - common singular	H6256 time
to speak	לְדַבֵּֽר׃	lə·ḏab·bêr	Preposition-l; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct	H1696 speak

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
a time	עֵ֤ת	‘êṯ	Noun - common singular	H6256 time
to love	לֶֽאֱהֹב֙	le·’ĕ·hōḇ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H157 love
and a time	וְעֵ֣ת	wə·‘êṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - common singular	H6256 time
to hate	לִשְׂנֹ֔א	liś·nō	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H8130 hate
a time	עֵ֥ת	‘êṯ	Noun - common singular construct	H6256 time
for war	מִלְחָמָ֖ה	mil·ḥā·māh	Noun - feminine singular	H4421 battle, war
and a time	וְעֵ֥ת	wə·‘êṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - common singular construct	H6256 time
for peace	שָׁלֽוֹם׃ס	šā·lō·wm	Noun - masculine singular	H7965 completeness, soundness, welfare, peace