Ecclesiastes 3:4a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
The setting
Jerusalem, ~935 BC. Solomon remembers the extremes of his reign — from mourning his father David to celebrating temple dedication. Modern Israel.
The emotion here: melancholy acceptance of life's emotional seasons
The original word
bakah (בָּכָה) — to weep bitterly, the deep crying that comes from the soul
Why it matters
Solomon's reign included both the magnificent temple dedication celebration and devastating famines that caused national mourning
Read with care
What most readers miss in Ecclesiastes 3:4
The verse pairs weeping with laughing, mourning with dancing — they're connected, not opposite
Common misconceptionPeople think this means 'don't be sad' or 'cheer up,' but Solomon is saying both weeping and dancing are holy — embrace whatever season you're in.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Ecclesiastes 3:4
Bible Genome reading
Ecclesiastes 3:4 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Ecclesiastes 3:4 comes from the book of Ecclesiastes, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Solomon. The dominant emotion in this verse is growing, with a comfort power of 80% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include emotions, timing. Notable phrases: time to weep; time to laugh; time to mourn; time to dance.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same growing
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
— Proverbs 22:6
“So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
— Romans 10:17
“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
— John 3:30
“Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
— Galatians 6:2
“He believed in Yahweh; and he reckoned it to him for righteousness.”
— Genesis 15:6
Your reflection
What does Ecclesiastes 3:4 mean to you, today?
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