Times; Poem; First Year, Book III

Times; Poem; First Year, Book III

This is a beautiful rhymic poem written extracted from Ecclesiastes. The poet has beautifully described the importance of time in life.

Times

For everything there is a season, 
and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die; 
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up; 
a time to weep, and a time to laugh; 
a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 
a time to seek, and a time to lose; 
a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 
a time to tear, and a time to sew; 
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 
a time to love, and a time to hate; 
a time for war, and a time for peace.

Reference

These lines have been taken from the poem Times from the book Ecclesiastes. This poem is assumed to be written by King Solomon in Ancient times.

Context

The poem has a clear message that everything and every happening in the world has a fixed time. Nature has set a timetable for all the events occurring in our daily life. Nothing can be done before time. The author wants to make us realize the presence and autonomy of God. He conveys us a message that our life and even this world is fully planned and controlled a supreme power (Allah).

Explanation of Poem Times

here is the explanation of all stanzas of the poem times given below.

Stanza 1 Explanation

To everything there............ to die

In these lines, the poet says that there is a specific period for everything in the world. Everything in the world is bound to happen at a specific time.  There is a time to born and similarly, death has also a fixed time. we cannot cheat death when it is the time of its approach. The author tries to satisfy the readers by putting a time-bracket to their desires and wishes. The readers feel contented as they know they cannot get anything before the time.

Stanza 2 Explanation

A time to plant ............ to build up

In these lines, the poet emphasizes the reality that there is a time for all we do in our life. There is a time to plant crops, trees, and other plants. There is the season for every crop to be plucked. We cannot get the fruit of our hard work before time. There is a time to break down things like buildings and bridges. There is a time to build new buildings, houses, and bridges. Even modern science has proved this philosophy of the poet.

Stanza 3 Explanation

A time to weep......... stones together

In these lines, the poet signifies the importance of time for everything. Our happiness and sorrow also have a predetermined time. This thinking of the poet leads the reader towards spiritual beliefs. For that, we all know that God plans our life and we act accordingly. So, the problems and comforts have also a fixed time. There is a time to cry and a time to celebrate. There is a time to cast away the stones and a time to collect them together. 

Stanza 4 Explanation

A time to embrace..... time to lose

In this stanza, the poet tells that there is a time to accept the things, persons and new ideas. A time to build new relationships. There is a time to end a relationship. There is time to abstain from accepting the other things and persons. There is a fixed time to get and to lose. So, we cannot get anything beforehand. This is a bitter reality that we are helpless before nature. We can do nothing if we lose our dear ones. Similarly, there is a time to get blessings.

Stanza 5 Explanation

A time to keep........time to sew

The poet says that there is a time to keep the things with you and there is also a time to throw them away. This philosophy simply points towards our attitude of "use and throw". There is fixed time to tear away and a time to mend. The poet highlights the working of natural forces. Sometimes we destroy the things with our hands and sometimes we mend them and repair them.