R’ Yehoshua of Sakhnin explained the text as referring to Israel. A time to be born, the Holy One said ‘for a brief moment I was the midwife to my children,’ as is written “And as for your birth, on the day you were born…” (Yechezkiel 16:4) A time to die, as is written “…in this desert they will end, and there they will die.” (Bamidbar 14:35) A time to plant, as it says ”And I will plant them on their land…” (Amos 9:15) A time to uproot the planted, as is written “And the Lord uprooted them from upon their land…” (Devarim 29:27) A time to kill, as is written “…and He has slain all that were pleasant to the eye…” (Eicha 2:4) A time to heal, as is written “Behold, I will bring it healing and cure…” (Yirmeyahu 33:6) A time to breach, as is written “And [through the] breaches they shall emerge, each woman straight before her…” (Amos 4:3) A time to build, as is written “…and build it up as in the days of yore.” (Amos 9:11) A time to weep, as is written “She weeps, yea, she weeps in the night…” (Eicha 1:2) A time to laugh, as is written “Then our mouths will be filled with laughter…” (Tehillim 126:2) A time to lament, as is written “And the Lord God of Hosts called on that day, for weeping, and for lamenting…” (Yeshayahu 22:12) A time to dance, as is written “And the streets of the city shall be filled, with boys and girls playing in its streets.” (Zechariah 8:5) A time to scatter stones, as is written “The holy stones are scattered at the head of every street.” (Eicha 4:1) A time to gather stones, as is written “Behold, I have laid as a foundation a stone in Zion…” (Yeshayahu 28:16) A time to embrace, as is written “…and his right hand would embrace me.” (Shir haShirim 2:6) A time to shun embraces, as is written “And the Lord removes the people far away…” (Yeshayahu 6:12) A time to seek, as is written “And from there you will seek the Lord your God…” (Devarim 4:29) A time to lose, as is written “…and you will perish quickly from upon the good land that the Lord gives you.” (Devarim 11:17) A time to keep, as is written “Behold the Guardian of Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” (Tehillim 121:4) A time to discard, as is written “…and He cast them to another land…” (Devarim 29:27) A time to rend, as is written “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you…” (Shmuel I 15:28) A time to mend, as is written “…and they shall be one in your hand.” (Yechezkel 37:17) A time to be silent, as is written “I was silent from time immemorial…” (Yeshayahu 42:14) A time to speak, as is written “Speak to the heart of Jerusalem…” (Yeshayahu 40:2) A time to love, as is written “I loved you, said the Lord…” (Malachi 1:2) A time to hate, as is written “…she raised her voice against Me; therefore, I hated her.” (Yirmiyahu 12:8) A time for war, as is written “…and He was turned to be their enemy; He fought with them.” (Yeshayahu 63:10) A time for peace, as is written “Behold, I will extend peace to you like a river…” (Yeshayahu 66:12)