A time for every purpose under heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die;
A time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
A time to break down, and a time to build up...
This famous passage from Ecclesiastes presents fourteen pairs of opposites, each with its proper time. The poem expresses a vision of life as rhythmic alternation between complementary activities and experiences.
The teaching resonates with agricultural societies' awareness of natural cycles—planting and harvest, growth and dormancy. But it extends beyond farming to all human experience: birth and death, war and peace, speaking and silence.
The passage offers comfort and wisdom. Comfort: whatever we experience—joy or sorrow, gain or loss—has its time and will pass. Wisdom: recognizing the appropriate time for each activity, neither forcing what's not ready nor missing the moment when it arrives.
This echoes the Greek concept of kairos (opportune timing) and Chinese emphasis on acting in harmony with natural rhythms. The wise person doesn't resist life's seasons but works with them, accepting change while recognizing patterns.
The passage influenced later literature and music, most notably The Byrds' "Turn! Turn! Turn!" which introduced these ancient words to modern audiences.
Source
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, Hebrew Bible