let there be light

US/lɛt ðɛɹ bi ləɪːt/US[lɛʔ ðɛɚɹ bi ləɪʔ]

phrase

Used as a metaphor for the spread of wisdom.

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Meanings

phrase
  1. Used as a metaphor for the spread of wisdom.

Origin

Subjunctive use from Genesis 1:3 in the King James Bible: "And God said, Let there be light: and there was light."

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Afrikaans laat daar lig wees
  • laat daar lig weesTranslations
Ancient Greek γενηθήτω φῶς
  • γενηθήτω φῶς (genēthḗtō phôs)Translations
Arabic لِيَكُنْ نُورٌ
  • لِيَكُنْ نُورٌ (liyakun nūrun)Translations
Bulgarian да бъде́ светлина́
  • да бъде́ светлина́ (da bădé svetliná)Translations
Chinese Mandarin 要有光
  • 要有光 (yào yǒu guāng)Translations
Czech budiž světlo
  • budiž světloTranslations
Danish der blive Lys
  • der blive LysTranslations
Dutch daar zij licht
  • daar zij lichtTranslations
Esperanto estu lumo
  • estu lumoTranslations
Finnish tulkoon valkeus
  • tulkoon valkeusTranslations
French que la lumière soit
  • que la lumière soitTranslations
German es werde Licht
  • es werde LichtTranslations
Hebrew יְהִי אוֹר
  • יְהִי אוֹר (yehí or)Translations
Hungarian legyen világosság
  • legyen világosságTranslations
Indonesian jadilah terang
  • jadilah terangTranslations
Italian sia la luce
  • sia la luceTranslations
Japanese 光あれ
  • 光あれ (hikariare)Translations
Korean 빛이 있으라
  • 빛이 있으라 (bichi isseura)Translations
Latin fiat lux
  • fiat luxTranslations
Lithuanian teatsiranda šviesa
  • teatsiranda šviesaTranslations
Norwegian det bli lys
  • det bli lysTranslations
Polish niech stanie się światłość
  • niech stanie się światłośćTranslations
Portuguese haja luz
  • haja luzTranslations
Romanian să fie lumină
  • să fie luminăTranslations
Russian да бу́дет свет
  • да бу́дет свет (da búdet svet)Translations
Spanish sea la luz, hágase la luz
  • sea la luzTranslations
  • hágase la luzTranslations
Swedish varde ljus
  • varde ljusTranslations
Turkish ışık olsun
  • ışık olsunTranslations
Ukrainian хай бу́де світло́
  • хай бу́де світло́ (xaj búde svitló)Translations
Vietnamese phải có sự sáng
  • phải có sự sángTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

let there be light. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/let%20there%20be%20light

MLA

“let there be light.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/let%20there%20be%20light. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “let there be light,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/let%20there%20be%20light.

Source: let there be light on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.