The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 3:5 Explained

Ecclesiastes 3:5

KJV: A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

YLT: A time to cast away stones, And a time to heap up stones. A time to embrace, And a time to be far from embracing.

Darby: A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

ASV: a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

A time  to cast away  stones,  and a time  to gather  stones  together;  a time  to embrace,  and a time  to refrain  from embracing; 

What does Ecclesiastes 3:5 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Ecclesiastes 3

1  by the necessary change of times, vanity is added to human travail
11  is an excellence in God's works
16  as for man, God shall judge his works hereafter, though here he be like a beast

What do the individual words in Ecclesiastes 3:5 mean?

a time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones to embrace to refrain from embracing
עֵ֚ת לְהַשְׁלִ֣יךְ אֲבָנִ֔ים וְעֵ֖ת כְּנ֣וֹס אֲבָנִ֑ים לַחֲב֔וֹק לִרְחֹ֥ק מֵחַבֵּֽק

עֵ֚ת  a  time 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: עֵת  
Sense: time.
לְהַשְׁלִ֣יךְ  to  cast  away 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁלַךְ  
Sense: to throw, cast, hurl, fling.
אֲבָנִ֔ים  stones 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: אֶבֶן  
Sense: stone (large or small).
וְעֵ֖ת  and  a  time 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, common singular
Root: עֵת  
Sense: time.
כְּנ֣וֹס  to  gather 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: כָּנַס  
Sense: to gather, collect, wrap.
אֲבָנִ֑ים  stones 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: אֶבֶן  
Sense: stone (large or small).
לַחֲב֔וֹק  to  embrace 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: חָבַק  
Sense: to embrace, clasp.
לִרְחֹ֥ק  to  refrain 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: רָחַק  
Sense: to be or become far, be or become distant, be removed, go far away.
מֵחַבֵּֽק  from  embracing 
Parse: Preposition-m, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: חָבַק  
Sense: to embrace, clasp.