Ecclesiastes 3:1–4
Qohelet
Qohelet's meditation contemplates life's cyclical nature, recognizing that each moment carries its own inevitability. These words push against the illusion of control that drives human ambition, by asserting that events unfold in a rhythm beyond our manipulation. In the ancient Near East, where fate was often a matter of divine will, this acceptance was both a comfort and a resignation. The passage urges us to see life's fluctuating tides not as obstacles but as essential parts of the human experience.