TRV
Translation
Complete Jewish Bible
a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to discard,
Berean Standard Bible
a time to search and a time to count as lost, a time to keep and a time to discard,
American Standard Version
a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
World English Bible Messianic
a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
Geneva Bible (1599)
A time to seeke, and a time to lose: a time to keepe, and a time to cast away.
Young's Literal Translation
A time to seek, And a time to destroy. A time to keep, And a time to cast away.
In the KJVVerse 17,366 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Commentary on Ecclesiastes 3 verses 1–10
1 ¶ To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
The scope of these verses is to show, 1. That we live in a world of changes, that the several events of time, and conditions of human life, are vastly different from one another, and yet occur promiscuously, and we are continually passing and repassing between them, as in the revolutions of every day and every year. In the wheel of nature (Jam 3:6) sometimes one spoke is uppermost and by and by the contrary; there is a constant ebbing and flowing, waxing and waning; from one extreme to the other does the fashion of this world change, ever did, and ever will. 2. That every change concerning us, with the time and season of it, is unalterably fixed and determined by a supreme power; and we must take things as they come, for it is not in our power to change what is appointed for us. And this comes in here as a reason why, when we are in prosperity, we should by easy, and yet not secure - not to be secure because we live in a world of changes and therefore have no reason to say, Tomorrow shall be as this day (the lowest valleys join to the highest mountains), and yet to be easy, and, as he had advised (Ecc 2:24), to enjoy the good of our labour, in a humble dependence upon God and his providence, neither lifted up with hopes, nor cast down with fears, but with evenness of mind expecting every event. Here we have,
I. A general proposition laid down: To every thing there is a season, Ecc 3:1. 1. Those things which seem most contrary the one to the other will, in the revolution of affairs, each take their turn and come into play. The day will give place to the night and the night again to the day. Is it summer? It will be winter. Is it winter? Stay a while, and it will be summer. Every purpose has its time. The clearest sky will be clouded, Post gaudia luctus - Joy succeeds sorrow; and the most clouded sky will clear up, Post nubila Phoebus - The sun will burst from behind the cloud. 2. Those things which to us seem most casual and contingent are, in the counsel and foreknowledge of God, punctually determined, and the very hour of them is fixed, and can neither be anticipated nor adjourned a moment.
II. The proof and illustration of it by the induction of particulars, twenty-eight in number, according to the days of the moon's revolution, which is always increasing or decreasing between its full and change. Some of these changes are purely the act of God, others depend more upon the will of man, but all are determined by the divine counsel. Every thing under heaven is thus changeable, but in heaven there is an unchangeable state, and an unchangeable counsel concerning these things. 1. There is a time to be born and a time to die. These are determined by the divine counsel; and, as we were born, so we must die, at the time appointed, Act 17:26. Some observe that here is a time to be born and a time to die, but no time to live; that is so short that it is not worth mentioning; as soon as we are born we begin to die. But, as there is a time to be born and a time to die, so there will be a time to rise again, a set time when those that lie in the grave shall be remembered, Job 14:13. 2. A time for God to plant a nation, as that of Israel in Canaan, and, in order to that, to pluck up the seven nations that were planted there, to make room for them; and at length there was a time when God spoke concerning Israel too, to pluck up and to destroy, when the measure of their iniquity was full, Jer 18:7, Jer 18:9. There is a time for men to plant, a time of the year, a time of their lives; but, when that which was planted has grown fruitless and useless, it is time to pluck it up. 3. A time to kill, when the judgments of God are abroad in a land and lay all waste; but, when he returns in ways of mercy, then is a time to heal what he has torn (Hos 6:1, Hos 6:2), to comfort a people after the time that he has afflicted them, Psa 90:15. There is a time when it is the wisdom of rulers to use severe methods, but there is a time when it is as much their wisdom to take a more gentle course, and to apply themselves to lenitives, not corrosives. 4. A time to break down a family, an estate, a kingdom, when it has ripened itself for destruction; but God will find a time, if they return and repent, to rebuild what he has broken down; there is a time, a set time, for the Lord to build up Zion, Psa 102:13, Psa 102:16. There is a time for men to break up house, and break off trade, and so to break down, which those that are busy in building up both must expect and prepare for. 5. A time when God's providence calls to weep and mourn, and when man's wisdom and grace will comply with the call, and will weep and mourn, as in times of common calamity and danger, and there it is very absurd to laugh, and dance, and make merry (Isa 22:12, Isa 22:13; Eze 21:10); but then, on the other hand, there is a time when God calls to cheerfulness, a time to laugh and dance, and then he expects we should serve him with joyfulness and gladness of heart. Observe, The time of mourning and weeping is put first, before that of laughter and dancing, for we must first sow in tears and then reap in joy. 6. A time to cast away stones, by breaking down and demolishing fortifications, when God gives peace in the borders, and there is no more occasion for them; but there is a time to gather stones together, for the making of strong-holds, Ecc 3:5. A time for old towers to fall, as that in Siloam (Luk 12:4), and for the temple itself to be so ruined as that not one stone should be left upon another; but also a time for towers and trophies too to be erected, when national affairs prosper. 7. A time to embrace a friend when we find him faithful, but a time to refrain from embracing when we find he is unfair or unfaithful, and that we have cause to suspect him; it is then our prudence to be shy and keep at a distance. It is commonly applied to conjugal embraces, and explained by Co1 7:3-5; Joe 2:16. 8. A time to get, get money, get preferment, get good bargains and a good interest, when opportunity smiles, a time when a wise man will seek (so the word is); when he is setting out in the world and has a growing family, when he is in his prime, when he prospers and has a run of business, then it is time for him to be busy and make hay when the sun shines. There is a time to get wisdom, and knowledge, and grace, when a man has a price put into his hand; but then let him expect there will come a time to spend, when all he has will be little enough to serve his turn. Nay, there will come a time to lose, when what has been soon got will be soon scattered and cannot be held fast. 9. A time to keep, when we have use for what we have got, and can keep it without running the hazard of a good conscience; but there may come a time to cast away, when love to God may oblige us to cast away what we have, because we must deny Christ and wrong our consciences if we keep it (Mat 10:37, Mat 10:38), and rather to make shipwreck of all than of the faith; nay, when love to ourselves may oblige us to cast it away, when it is for the saving of our lives, as it was when Jonah's mariners heaved their cargo into the sea. 10. A time to rend the garments, as upon occasion of some great grief, and a time to sew, them again, in token that the grief is over. A time to undo what we have done and a time to do again what we have undone. Jerome applies this to the rending of the Jewish church and the sewing and making up of the gospel church thereupon. 11. A time when it becomes us, and is our wisdom and duty, to keep silence, when it is an evil time (Amo 5:13), when our speaking would be the casting of pearl before swine, or when we are in danger of speaking amiss (Psa 39:2); but there is also a time to speak for the glory of God and the edification of others, when silence would be the betraying of a righteous cause, and when with the mouth confession is to be made to salvation; and it is a great part of Christian prudence to know when to speak and when to hold our peace. 12. A time to love, and to show ourselves friendly, to be free and cheerful, and it is a pleasant time; but there may come a time to hate, when we shall see cause to break off all familiarity with some that we have been fond of, and to be upon the reserve, as having found reason for a suspicion, which love is loth to admit. 13. A time of war, when God draws the sword for judgment and gives it commission to devour, when men draw the sword for justice and the maintaining of their rights, when there is in the nations a disposition to war; but we may hope for a time of peace, when the sword of the Lord shall be sheathed and he shall make wars to cease (Psa 46:9), when the end of the war is obtained, and when there is on all sides a disposition to peace. War shall not last always, nor is there any peace to be called lasting on this side the everlasting peace. Thus in all these changes God has set the one over-against the other, that we may rejoice as though we rejoiced not and weep as though we wept not.
III. The inferences drawn from this observation. If our present state be subject to such vicissitude, 1. Then we must not expect our portion in it, for the good things of it are of no certainty, no continuance (Ecc 3:9): What profit has he that works? What can a man promise himself from planting and building, when that which he thinks is brought to perfection may so soon, and will so surely, be plucked up and broken down? All our pains and care will not alter either the mutable nature of the things themselves or the immutable counsel of God concerning them. 2. Then we must look upon ourselves as upon our probation in it. There is indeed no profit in that wherein we labour; the thing itself, when we have it, will do us little good; but, if we make a right use of the disposals of Providence about it, there will be profit in that (Ecc 3:10): I have seen the travail which God has given to the sons of men, not to make up a happiness by it, but to be exercised in it, to have various graces exercised by the variety of events, to have their dependence upon God tried by every change, and to be trained up to it, and taught both how to want and how to abound, Phi 4:12. Note, (1.) There is a great deal of toil and trouble to be seen among the children of men. Labour and sorrow fill the world. (2.) This toil and this trouble are what God has allotted us. He never intended this world for our rest, and therefore never appointed us to take our ease in it. (3.) To many it proves a gift. God gives it to men, as the physician gives a medicine to his patient, to do him good. This travail is given to us to make us weary of the world and desirous of the remaining rest. It is given to us that we may be kept in action, and may always have something to do; for we were none of us sent into the world to be idle. Every change cuts us out some new work, which we should be more solicitous about, than about the event.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–10. Public domain.
Copy as
Gregory of ElviraAD 392
EXPOSITION OF ECCLESIASTES, FRAGMENT 2
Jerusalem, therefore, was abandoned “like a booth in a vineyard” because the guardian angels left it along with the Lord when Christ had suffered. A crop in the field is guarded by the Lord not for its own sake but only for the grain it yields, such that the stalk is permitted to be destroyed once its fruit is harvested. So also it was not principally for its own sake that Jerusalem was guarded temporarily, but on account of Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born according to the flesh within its borders. But when its fruit had been harvested, that is, the body of Christ, whence came the heavenly bread of life, then Jerusalem was abandoned like a field after the harvest, like a booth in a vineyard after its grapes had been gathered. This, then, is why it was said here in the divine Scriptures, “There is a time for guarding and a time for casting aside,” for there was a time when Jerusalem was guarded and a time when it was being cast aside.
Gregory of NyssaAD 395
Do you want to learn, too, the right moment to seek the Lord? To put it briefly—all your life. In this case alone the one moment to pursue it is the whole state of life. For it is not at a fixed moment and an appointed time that it is good to seek the Lord, but never to cease from continual search—that is the real timeliness.
Gregory of NyssaAD 395
HOMILIES ON ECCLESIASTES 7
Do you wish to learn the opportune time for seeking the Lord? Let me briefly state that your entire life is the only time to carry this out. Seeking the Lord is not defined by limit or time; rather, the truly opportune time for this consists in never putting an end to our search.
Didymus the BlindAD 398
COMMENTARY ON ECCLESIASTES 77:18
Before the good things were found (for example, the knowledge of truth), people were in ignorance. For them it was the time of losing. But this time was preceded by the time of seeking; for when some one seeks the good, the time has come to lose what in his case had been before the good. Likewise people lived according to the law before Christ’s life on earth, and they looked for the letter. But when the “Sun of righteousness” rose and truth finally had come, the time also had come to lose the letter and to supersede it.This is how one can sometimes lose in a good way. The Savior in the Gospel says: “Those who want to save their soul will lose it, and those who lose their soul will find it.” One [can also] understand this as referring to martyrdom and to the time of persecution: Those who want to save their soul on the day of judgment and at the time of reward must lose it by offering themselves up to death; to lose the soul here means death, the dying for truth in martyrdom.
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ecclesiastes
"A time
to acquire and a time to lose. A time to
keep and a time to throw away. "As is in many verses before the meaning is
the same here too, which is apparent before and following this verse, in that
he says: "A time to destroy and a time to build.
" And then "A
time to rend and a time to mend. "Just
as the Synagogue is destroyed so that the Church can be built and schism is
only brought about by the law so that the Gospels are unified, because each
preacher has carried it out one by one, unifying from the law and the prophets
the testimonies of the arrival of the Lord.
And thus there was a time for seeking and guarding Israel, a time for
losing and discarding it. Or perhaps in
fact a time for seeking a nation in the tribes and a time for losing the people
of the Jews. A time for guarding the
believers of the nations and a time for dismissing the faithless from
Israel. "A time for silence and a time for
speaking. "I think that the
Pythagoreans, whose discipline is to remain silent for five years and
afterwards to speak to learned men, took the origin of their decree from
this. Let us learn therefore and so
remain silent first, so that afterwards we open our mouths only to speak. Let us be silent for a set period and depend
on the utterances of our teacher.
Nothing seems right to us unless we learn that after much silence we are
made into teachers by our pupils. Now
though instead of the world slipping day by day into a far worse situation, we
teach in churches what we do not know.
And if by composing words or at the bidding of the devil, who is the
patron of madness, we have aroused the applause of the common people, then we
think we understand, (contrary to our conscience), what it is we were able to
dissuade others from. We do not learn all the arts without a teacher, only
those which are so common and easy that they don't require a tutor.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
Copy as
Continue studying Ecclesiastes 3:6 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
Ecclesiastes 3:6 is an integral part of Qoheleth's profound meditation on the divinely ordained seasons of life, asserting that all human experiences, including the acquisition and loss of possessions, and the preservation and relinquishment of circumstances, fall under a sovereign, pre-determined timing. This verse, nestled within a poetic catalogue of antithetical pairs, highlights the cyclical nature of existence "under the sun," emphasizing that wisdom lies not in controlling these cycles, but in discerning and embracing the appropriate action for each appointed time, acknowledging a cosmic order beyond human manipulation.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Ecclesiastes 3:6 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey its profound message. The most prominent is Antithesis, seen in the pairing of opposing concepts: "get" vs. "lose," and "keep" vs. "cast away." This creates a stark contrast that highlights the paradoxical and often contradictory nature of human experience, emphasizing the cyclical ebb and flow of life. Closely related is Parallelism, specifically Antithetical Parallelism, where the second half of each phrase (e.g., "a time to lose") directly contrasts the first ("a time to get"), reinforcing the idea that for every action or state, its opposite also has an appointed time. The repetition of "a time to" throughout the poem, including this verse, establishes a powerful Anaphora, creating a rhythmic and meditative cadence that underscores the pervasive and inescapable nature of divine timing. Furthermore, the actions described serve as Metonymy for broader life circumstances, where "getting" and "losing" represent not just material wealth but also opportunities, relationships, and even personal health, symbolizing the comprehensive reach of God's sovereign hand over all aspects of existence.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ecclesiastes 3:6, with its stark contrasts of gain and loss, preservation and relinquishment, profoundly shapes our understanding of divine sovereignty and human stewardship. It challenges the human tendency to control outcomes, asserting that God alone orchestrates the seasons of life, including those of abundance and scarcity. This perspective encourages a posture of humility and trust, recognizing that true wisdom lies not in accumulating endlessly or clinging desperately, but in discerning God's timing for every action. It calls believers to a radical detachment from earthly possessions and circumstances, fostering a spirit of contentment and generosity, knowing that all things are temporary and ultimately belong to God. This theological framework transforms our view of stewardship from mere management of resources to a dynamic dance with divine providence, where letting go can be as much an act of faith as holding on.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Ecclesiastes 3:6 offers a liberating perspective on the unpredictable rhythms of life, inviting us to embrace change rather than resist it. In a world that often pressures us to constantly acquire and never let go, this verse reminds us that there is a divine wisdom in both accumulation and release. It challenges us to cultivate a spiritual detachment from material possessions and even from certain circumstances, recognizing that our ultimate security and identity are not found in what we own or control, but in our relationship with the sovereign God. This means learning to discern when to work diligently for gain, when to accept loss with grace, when to preserve what is valuable, and when to courageously cast away what no longer serves God's purpose or our spiritual well-being. It fosters a trust that even in moments of loss or necessary relinquishment, God's overarching plan for our lives is unfolding, guiding us towards true contentment and purpose.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does "a time to get" imply that we should always strive for more wealth?
Answer: Not necessarily. While "a time to get" acknowledges the natural human inclination and the divinely appointed seasons for acquisition (whether of wealth, knowledge, or experience), the broader context of Ecclesiastes cautions against the futility of chasing material possessions as an ultimate source of meaning or security. The Preacher often concludes that such pursuits "are vanity and a chasing after wind" (Ecclesiastes 1:14). Instead, it suggests that when opportunities for gain arise, they are part of God's timing, but they should be received with wisdom and detachment, recognizing their temporary nature and our role as stewards, not ultimate owners.
What does it mean to "cast away" in a practical sense?
Answer: To "cast away" refers to the intentional act of letting go, discarding, or relinquishing something. Practically, this can apply to material possessions that are no longer needed or that have become an idol. It can also extend to non-material things: releasing grudges, letting go of past hurts, abandoning unproductive habits or toxic relationships, or even shedding outdated beliefs that hinder spiritual growth. It's about discerning what is no longer beneficial or aligned with God's will for a particular season, and having the wisdom and courage to release it, trusting in God's provision and guidance for the future. This aligns with the biblical call to "lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely" (Hebrews 12:1).
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Ecclesiastes 3:6 speaks of the universal rhythms of gain and loss "under the sun," its ultimate fulfillment is found in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who perfectly embodied the wisdom of divine timing. Jesus himself experienced "a time to get" as he gathered disciples, healed the sick, and taught profound truths, building the foundation of God's kingdom on earth (Matthew 4:17). Yet, he also embraced "a time to lose," willingly laying aside his divine prerogatives (Philippians 2:6-8) and ultimately losing his life on the cross, a profound act of self-emptying that brought about salvation (Mark 10:45). His life was a perfect example of "a time to keep" the Father's commandments with unwavering obedience (John 15:10) and "a time to cast away" the temptations of worldly power and glory (Matthew 4:8-10). Through Christ's death and resurrection, the ultimate "loss" became the ultimate "gain" for humanity, transforming the cycle of earthly vanity into an eternal hope. He is the one who perfectly understands and submits to the Father's timing, inviting us to find our true security and purpose not in what we gain or lose, but in His eternal kingdom (Colossians 3:1-4).