That brief posting entitled Words to Live By from last Sunday evening was based on a passage from the first Chapter of the Book of Ecclesiastes.
When my friend first pointed me in the direction of that passage, it also made my mind go back to a ’60s folk song adapted from a well-known part of Chapter 3 from the same Book.
Turn, Turn, Turn is a song all boomers remember from 1965. Although it was written by Pete Seeger, it was the Byrds who had a huge hit with it. The words are taken from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 and had but one phrase added at the end: …a time for peace, I swear it’s not too late!
Here it is in its entirety:
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
by Pete Seeger adapted from Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, a time to reap that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
The words offered me no small comfort back many, many years ago when I first heard them. (I was in the 5th grade, if you must know!) And they still do.
This is a most unusual and very precarious Chapter in the history of our Country.
And I assure you it’s a time to heal.
It’s a time to speak.
And it’s a time for Peace.
Brother Ben
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