Ecclesiastes 3:
  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.

In 1966 Pete Seeger and folk-rockers the Byrds turned these verses into the jangly title track for the Byrds' second album: Turn! Turn! Turn! The album was a followup to Mr. Tambourine Man, and its first single went to number one on the charts rather quickly.


Here are the lyrics:

Turn! Turn! Turn!
(To everything there is a season)

Adapted from Eccl. 3 by Pete Seeger


To every thing
   turn, turn, turn
There is a season
   turn, turn, turn
And a time
 to every purpose under heaven
A time to be born
	A time to die
A time to plant
	A time to reap

A time to kill 
	A time to heal
A time to laugh
	A time to weep

To every thing
	turn, turn, turn
There is a season
	turn, turn, turn
And a time 
 to every purpose under heaven
A to build up
	A time to break down
A time to dance
	A time to mourn
A time to cast away stones
	A time to gather stones together

To every thing
	turn, turn, turn
There is a season
	turn, turn, turn
And a time
 to every purpose under heaven
A time of love
	A time of hate
A time of war
	A time of peace
A time you may embrace
	A time to refrain from embracing

To every thing
	turn, turn, turn
There is a season
	turn, turn, turn
And a time
 to every purpose under heaven
A time to gain
	A time to lose
A time to rend
	A time to sew
A time for love
	A time for hate
A time for peace
	I swear it's not too late

This may just be one of the greatest Biblical songs of all time.

This used to be a writeup by thdexter, but he's gone now. Such a song demands to be noded, you see. Funny thing about it, though, was when I graduated as the valedictorian of my eighth grade class, I had to give a short speech. I am not a good speechwriter, but I do have a good memory. And I remembered that the previous year's valedictorian had used quotes from this song in her speech. So, to one up her and avoid complete plaigarism, I chose to quote the aforementioned verses from Ecclesiastes. It was a Christian school, after all.

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