Ecclesiastes (קֹהֶלֶת)

[Keiralika, Founding Moderator & Curator]

The uniqueness of Book of Ecclesiastes is because it reads like the diary of someone who has lived long enough to see through every illusion of success. It speaks from a place beyond youthful optimism, where pleasure has been tasted, work has been mastered, and knowledge has been pursued. Yet, somehow, an unnameable emptiness remains. Rather than offering comfort, Ecclesiastes confronts us with the fragile structure of human ambition: time erases, death levels, and certainty dissolves. Biblical scholars classify Ecclesiastes within Israel’s wisdom literature while highlighting its unusually skeptical and observational voice, one that explores the limits of human understanding rather than presenting firm doctrinal conclusions (Fox, 1999; Longman, 1998).

Its closing call to “fear God and keep His commandments” frames the entire exploration within covenantal faith, suggesting that meaning is not found in control over life’s outcomes, but in faithful orientation toward God amid uncertainty. Ecclesiastes therefore serves as a theological meditation on limitation, temporality, and the posture of reverent trust.

[Keiralika, Founding Moderator & Curator]

Tonight I let my heart out to a stranger, a stranger that was once dearest for one night. A lovely friend that used to hold the same pain as me, but that was all in my head. For her I was none of something worth to be held, not a friend, just a stranger, always a stranger. So easy for me to get tossed around like I was a nobody, not even a single hand trying to understand my situation, I'm nobody, with all my tears on my face, with nobody to comfort me.

“I saw the tears of the oppressed—and they have no comforter.” — Ecclesiastes 4:1

[Keiralika, Founding Moderator & Curator]

Turns out there was someone that holds grudges against me. He took his time to threaten me and persecute me; he was showing his anger and wrath, and all the bad words came out of his mouth. His body probably has lived it for a long time; those curses. Which I had to respond to with acceptance, I asked him what made him so angry about this little misunderstanding, and he answered like someone who cannot comprehend what love is. In the face of a monstrosity, with all the false accusations he threw at me, and all his friends cornering me, I still managed to be kind.

Truly, for God is the one I have. Nothing can compare with His miracles, and I knew it. I knew that I was through with anger; I decided to stop. I don’t want to hurt anyone again, I don’t want to have a single enemy. I'll love them accordingly, even when the red lingers around me. still, I choose to believe in kindness.

“Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.” — Ecclesiastes 7:9

[Keiralika, Founding Moderator & Curator]

“I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live.” — Ecclesiastes 3:12

Today I learned my lesson to protect my peace. My gratefulness could be written down and surely, I could choose to see life in a more different perspective. My optimism has been tested, for sure, but how about my spirit? It’s still there, longing for bravery, missing its spark. The thing is, we have a choice, and from the choice that has been taken, we have a chance, that chance leads us to opportunity and openness, to mischief or kindness, but to be true, I choose to do good and be happy. And thank God, for every opportunity that has happened to me.

[Keiralika, Founding Moderator & Curator]

Starting from today I'll write the verse in italics, because I need to differentiate the condition from verses and bolding in paragraphs to make it easier to read. Soon it’ll also be applied to another topic about scripture and sacred texts. For this exact moment it’ll be wonderful for me to start from Ecclesiastes. I'll be here and in Masnavi for quite a long while, pondering the verses based on my comprehension and relatability. I'll be writing in a contemplative manner, and feel free to any member to write a favor in another manner (academic, casual, etc.) and to change the atmosphere of the conversation or commentary based on your own likeness or reasoning.

[Keiralika, Founding Moderator & Curator]

“Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God.” — Ecclesiastes 5:19

One day the silver came to fulfill the need of a family, and a faithful father of a son and a husband to his wife. They look pleased with the bread and the water that the river brought from half a mile away. The basket was heavy, yet he wasn’t complaining, and the son learned the might from his father. Their house was small and stuffed with a lot of woods, he would call himself a lumberjack. The wife and the son laughed every time he tried to explain his days, because so many inconvenient and unpleasant things happened in his way. Still, he wasn’t complaining, and he was a cheerful man. His peace came with a lot of price. Little did he realize, he had everything he ever wanted. And no one could beat his gratitude towards God.

[Keiralika, Founding Moderator & Curator]

“He has made everything beautiful in its time.” — Ecclesiastes 3:11

After a mountain of suffering, there will be time to come to an understanding, and by then wisdom will ease the pain. And the dots are suddenly connected and we'll see that all the things that have happened are needed. Life is filled with uncertainty, but the signs are there and here as a reminder, we’re God's creation, and beauty is everywhere once it’s time to be found.

[John]

Keiralika wrote: "“He has made everything beautiful in its time.” — Ecclesiastes 3:11

After a mountain of suffering, there will be time to come to an understanding, and by then wisdom will ease the pain. And the do..."

But the thing is, we may not live long enough to see it all come together. Our lives are short, while the life of humanity, or time itself, is long. This is not a complaint.

I just don't see the need to understand anything. We just accept it and live our lives best we can. Why complain about the rain? Put on a rain coat.

[Keiralika, Founding Moderator & Curator]

John wrote: "Keiralika wrote: "“He has made everything beautiful in its time.” — Ecclesiastes 3:11

After a mountain of suffering, there will be time to come to an understanding, and by then wisdom will ease th..."

And the fact that we’re not living long enough to understand everything is the beauty of life in my perspective, because through centuries people have been passing the torch from one to another (in the context of Geworfenheit by Heidegger; Sein und Zeit, §38).

And then, this, I absolutely agree with you, we don’t need to understand anything, we can just simply live, this is very well explained by Nietzsche in Die Geburt der Tragödie. The understanding will come and not freewillingly as we’re living through this brief moment of present from unpredictable future to fragments of the past. I love to point out like this, people have different ways to perceive life, but some are really attracted to the truth and discoveries (Republic, VII.). Let's say, if people weren’t complaining about getting wet, they wouldn't have invented an umbrella or a raincoat! 

[John]

I don't think we will ever understand, and I think it is a fool's errand to try.

Why would anyone think we have brains that are capable of understanding the world.

Go to a zoo. What is the smartest animal? Maybe the chimp. But chimps are not that smart. Why don't they live in luxury hotels? Why don't they have porn sites like we do? Not that smart.

In the same way, we are the smartest animals on earth. We can make space ships, but just being smartest does not mean we can understand infinity. Or what is really happening. Or the context of our lives in the greater universe. Not at all.

A better simile is that of the human body, which is composed of cells, which make up tissues, which make up organs, which together combine to form our bodies. Do the cells in your bones understand what the physics professor is explaining? Do the cells in your eyes understand why you traveled across the country to propose to your spouse? No. They cannot. They are concerned with getting fed, doing their function, whatever it is, and procreating. And then they die and are replaced. That is it.

We humans in human civilization are just like cells in the body, concerned about missing the bus, getting yelled at, and not getting fired. But these petty concerns are totally unrelated to humanity's (the greater creature's) concerns. We have no idea what is really happening. We are lost in our petty insignificant worlds. And then we die. Just like the cells in our bodies, immersed in their own roles. They die and are replaced. And the body continues to function, not even aware that the cell had died.

I hope that made sense. The idea is, there are things going on that humanity as a whole is dealing with, and we cannot understand them. That is the real story. Humanity is the entity that matters, not you or me.

[Keiralika, Founding Moderator & Curator]

John wrote: "I don't think we will ever understand, and I think it is a fool's errand to try.

Why would anyone think we have brains that are capable of understanding the world.

Go to a zoo. What is the smarte..."

Oh so that’s what you’re worrying about. By understanding, you mean understanding the world, the universe and the vastness. Don’t worry I get what you mean. I was a little bit confused because we’re on the Ecclesiastes topic and I was worried if your comment started running out of the border. I'm glad you pointed out the base ground of your argument. 

One day Buddha was asked what the meaning of life was, and he said, “I do not answer questions that do not lead to liberation.” (Cūla-Māluṅkya Sutta, MN 63)

What do you think the purpose of humans is, John? Humanity is the entity that matters, not you and me, then what makes you different from the people who do try to understand? Our knowledge is limited, ‘Meaningless, meaningless, all is vanity.’ (Ecclesiastes 1:2)

[John]

I don't know our purpose. If I or anyone tried to compile and analyze my thoughts on this topic, it would be a bowl of spaghetti. It would not be consistent.

Here are some of my prevailing thoughts though, not that they are consistent.

1. We cannot know the purpose of humans. Humans are part of the whole of humanity, which to me is the entity that really matters. We cannot understand the truths at the humanity level. Much like blood cells cannot understand the truths of the human.

2. Our purpose is to find and love God and to do God's bidding on Earth. God's bidding? I think it is to develop spiritually and morally. To drop self-cherishing, and to learn to live for and love others.

3. Maybe these reconcile or maybe not. God is infinite. We are finite. The problem is like trying to apply 2 dimensional geometry to 3 dimensions. You cannot do it. What seems inconsistent or does not make sense on the 2 dimensional plane may make sense in 3 dimensions. [Example, a thing is moving. But not moving up or down (y axis) or left or right (x axis) on the paper, but straight up (z axis). In 2 dimensions, the thing is not moving. But in 3 dimensions it is moving.] If you add time or something else to our 3 dimensions, then, who knows what is truth?

I can imagine philosophers kicking the crap out of this argument.

[Keiralika, Founding Moderator & Curator]

John wrote: "I don't know our purpose. If I or anyone tried to compile and analyze my thoughts on this topic, it would be a bowl of spaghetti. It would not be consistent.

Here are some of my prevailing though..."

Ah that’s fine, philosophers have been kicking each other’s butts since Plato first picked up a stylus. Your third explanation was really on point, that’s a swift explanation of how metaphysical thinking is required to learn about God. It'll be interesting if we create a topic focused upon mysticism so we don’t have to worry about getting mixed up like a bowl of spaghetti.