As sure as days follows nights, as sure as there are high and low tides on the sea, as sure as winter follows fall—under the sun— there is time for everything. There is time to be born and time to die.
That brings to my memory the sudden death of my young brother Hugo, who was only a bud when the Gardener decided it was time for him to go. I can still feel the excruciating pain of the departure of my father. Nothing seems to be the way it was without him. He took a part of me. He went away too soon; he was 62. Yes, there is time for everything under the heaven.
Ecclesiastes is eloquent and beautiful in both form and content. The use of the English language is exquisite and the thoughts are deep, only to be understood by the inner soul. Today is a day for meditation. That is my mood today and Ecclesiastes in my muse.
The Holy Bible: King James Version 2000
Ecclesiastes Or, The Preacher
3
A TIME FOR EVERYTHING
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.
9. What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboreth?
10. I have seen the travail, which God hath given the sons of men to be exercised in it.
11. He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
12. I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
13. And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labor, it is the gift of God.
14. I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.
15. That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.
THE INJUSTICE OF LIFE
16. And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.
17. I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.
18. I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.
19. For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
20. All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
21. Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
22. Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works, for that is his portion, for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
It is crystal clear to me, that “there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.” What a beautiful piece of English literature which ascends to the class of exquisite poetry. Good Day. Today has been a rewarding day for deep thoughts and meditation.
