NOTES for Ecc 11:5-7
5 As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. |
6 In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good. |
7 Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun: |
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Once Ecclesiastes noticed the eternal cycle of creation, which seemed to him a sacred dance of creation before the face of its Creator. And it was precisely this dance that helped Ecclesiastes find himself at that boundary of silence where God's eternity meets the world of spaces and times. And now it turns out that a person too can become part of the cosmic dance. And not in mystical ecstasy, but in everyday life. Outwardly it may seem that the issue is merely everyday routine, in which some tasks replace others just as steadily and monotonously as day replaces night. But everyday routine never brings joy to anyone.
Ecclesiastes connects that joy which can fill a person's life precisely with everyday life, if of course that person is not too concerned about tomorrow and does not begin to oppose the natural course of things. The natural course of things in general becomes for Ecclesiastes something sacred, something like the dao of the Chinese philosophers or the logos of the Greek philosophers. This is not surprising: behind movement, both they and Ecclesiastes himself sensed the rest behind which is God's presence. Only neither the Chinese nor the Greeks extended this movement to ordinary life.
The Chinese sought this moving rest in nature, the Greeks in nature and in the human soul, but Ecclesiastes was able to find it in everyday life too. Earthly wisdom turned out not to be so earthly after all; God's eternity suddenly began to show through it clearly. Yet the main, final, ultimate question still remained unanswered: what will happen when the dance stops? When it ceases?
If not completely, not finally, not forever, then at least for the specific person taking part in it? For sooner or later the day comes for everyone when his dance ends and he leaves the great cosmic round dance. And what then? There is no answer. And Ecclesiastes is cautious: this is the very main question that must be answered absolutely, simply because otherwise all the other answers are worthless. But where is it, the main answer?
Other notes
For Ecc 11:1-10
1 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. |
2 Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. |
3 If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. |
4 He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. |
5 As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. |
6 In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good. |
7 Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun: |
8 But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity. |
9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. |
10 Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity. |
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