Ecclesiastes, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB

[3:11] The timeless: others translate “eternity,” “the world,” or “darkness.” The author credits God with keeping human beings ignorant about God's ... Skiptomaincontent Mainnavigation Ecclesiastes Pagination Previouschapter Previouschapter Chapter3 Nextchapter Nextchapter Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 CHAPTER3 NoOneCanDeterminetheRightTimetoAct 1*Thereisanappointedtimeforeverything, andatimeforeveryaffairundertheheavens. 2Atimetogivebirth,andatimetodie; atimetoplant,andatimetouproottheplant. 3Atimetokill,andatimetoheal; atimetoteardown,andatimetobuild. 4Atimetoweep,andatimetolaugh; atimetomourn,andatimetodance. 5Atimetoscatterstones,andatimetogatherthem; atimetoembrace,andatimetobefarfromembraces. 6Atimetoseek,andatimetolose; atimetokeep,andatimetocastaway. 7Atimetorend,andatimetosew; atimetobesilent,andatimetospeak. 8Atimetolove,andatimetohate; atimeofwar,andatimeofpeace. 9aWhatprofithaveworkersfromtheirtoil? 10IhaveseenthebusinessthatGodhasgiventomortalstobebusiedabout. 11bGodhasmadeeverythingappropriatetoitstime,buthasputthetimeless*intotheirheartssotheycannotfindout,frombeginningtoend,theworkwhichGodhasdone. 12cIrecognizedthatthereisnothingbetterthantorejoiceandtodowellduringlife. 13Moreover,thatallcaneatanddrinkandenjoythegoodofalltheirtoil—thisisagiftofGod. 14IrecognizedthatwhateverGoddoeswillendureforever;thereisnoaddingtoit,ortakingfromit.ThushasGoddonethathemayberevered. 15*dWhatnowishasalreadybeen;whatistobe,alreadyis:Godretrieveswhathasgoneby. TheProblemofRetribution. 16eAndstillunderthesuninthejudgmentplaceIsawwickedness,andwickednessalsointheseatofjustice. 17fIsaidinmyheart,boththejustandthewickedGodwilljudge,sinceatimeissetforeveryaffairandforeverywork.* 18Isaidinmyheart:Asforhumanbeings,itisGod’swayoftestingthemandofshowingthattheyareinthemselveslikebeasts. 19Forthelotofmortalsandthelotofbeastsisthesamelot:Theonediesaswellastheother.Bothhavethesamelifebreath.Humanbeingshavenoadvantageoverbeasts,butallisvanity. 20gBothgotothesameplace;bothweremadefromthedust,andtothedusttheybothreturn. 21Whoknows*ifthelifebreathofmortalsgoesupwardandthelifebreathofbeastsgoesearthward? 22hAndIsawthatthereisnothingbetterformortalsthantorejoiceintheirwork;forthisistheirlot.Whowillletthemseewhatistocomeafterthem?i *[3:1–8]Thefourteenpairsofoppositesdescribevarioushumanactivities.ThepoemaffirmsthatGodhasdeterminedtheappropriatemomentor“time”foreach.Humanbeingscannotknowthatmoment;further,thewidercourseofeventsandpurposesfixedbyGodarebeyondthemaswell. *[3:11]Thetimeless:otherstranslate“eternity,”“theworld,”or“darkness.”TheauthorcreditsGodwithkeepinghumanbeingsignorantaboutGod’s“work”—presentandfuture. *[3:15]Theverseisdifficult.Literallyitreads“andGodseeksoutwhatwaspursued.”Itappearstobeavariationofthethemein1:9,“Thereisnothingnewunderthesun.” *[3:17]Atimeisset…work:anotherpossiblereadingwouldseethisversereferringtoajudgmentinorafterdeath:“atimeforeveryaffairandforeveryworkthere”(thatis,indeathorinSheol). *[3:21]Whoknows:theauthorpresumesanegativeanswer:“Nooneknows.”Inplaceofspeculationonimpossiblequestions,theauthorcounselsenjoymentofwhatispossible(cf.v.22;butseealso2:10–11). a.[3:9]Eccl1:3. b.[3:11]Eccl8:17;11:5. c.[3:12]Eccl2:24. d.[3:15]Eccl1:9. e.[3:16]Eccl4:1. f.[3:17]Eccl8:6a;11:9;12:14. g.[3:20]Eccl12:7;Gn3:19;Sir17:2. h.[3:22]Eccl3:12–13;5:17–18. i.[3:22]Eccl8:7;10:14. Copyright2019-2022USCCB,pleasereviewourPrivacyPolicy Pagination Previouschapter Previouschapter Chapter3 Nextchapter Nextchapter Experiencetherichnessofyourfaith Whatwillyoudiscover?Exploremoreinspirationalselectionshere TheMysteryoftheEucharistintheLifeoftheChurch OrdinationofaBishop,ofPriests,andofDeacons TheNationalDirectoryfortheFormation,Ministry,andLifeofPermanentDeaconsintheUnitedStatesofAmerica ThePowerofForgiveness:PopeFrancisonReconciliation