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Ecclesiastes 3:4

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

KJV

Tempus flendi, et tempus ridendi ; tempus plangendi, et tempus saltandi.

Vulgate

καιρὸς τοῦ κλαῦσαι καὶ καιρὸς τοῦ γελάσαι, καιρὸς τοῦ κόψασθαι καὶ καιρὸς τοῦ ὀρχήσασθαι,

LXX

a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

ASV

עֵ֤ת לִ/בְכּוֹת֙ וְ/עֵ֣ת לִ/שְׂח֔וֹק עֵ֥ת סְפ֖וֹד וְ/עֵ֥ת רְקֽוֹד

Hebrew

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In the original Hebrew

5 distinct Hebrew words appear in this verse.

יִּסְפְּדוּ
yspdv
verb · 32×
יֵּ֥בְךְּ
ybk
verb · 115×
מְשַׂחֲקִ֖ים
mshchqym
verb · 35×
ן
n
verb · 9×
עֵ֣ת
't
verb · 293×

Historic Christian voices

3 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

Cross-references

  • 1Cor 7:30 — And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;
  • 2Cor 7:10 — For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
  • 2Sam 6:16 — And 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.
  • Eccl 7:14 — In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.
  • Exod 15:20 — And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.
  • Gen 21:6 — And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.
  • Isa 22:12 — And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:
  • Isa 22:12 — And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:
  • Jas 4:9 — Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
  • John 16:20 — Verily, 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.
  • Luke 1:13 — But 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.
  • Luke 1:58 — And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.
  • Luke 6:21 — Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.
  • Matt 9:15 — And 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
  • Matt 11:17 — And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.
  • Neh 8:9 — 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. Fo
  • Neh 8:9 — 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. Fo
  • Neh 9:1 — Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them.
  • Prov 25:20 — As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.
  • Ps 30:5 — For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
  • Ps 30:11 — Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;
  • Ps 126:1 — When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.
  • Ps 126:5 — They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
  • Rom 12:15 — Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.