HONORING LIVES, HONORING MEMORIES
The Bible at Ecclesiastes has another perspective about the dead. Without religion and God, when someone dies he knows nothing at all. What does it mean? Live life to its fullest. Live life. Do the best you can when you live. The chance for redemption, the afterlife is nothing we can hope for .
Ecclesisastes 9:5
A For the living know that they will die,
B but the dead know nothing;
B they have no further reward,
A and even their name is forgotten.
Lines 1 and 4 are parallel thoughts in the sense that the living know death is coming while those who remain after a person dies quickly forget those who have died. The second and third lines lay down associated ideas in parallel: the dead know nothing, and the dead can no longer enjoy or be rewarded for their activities in this life.
The saying “the dead know nothing” seems to be a negative sentiment, but it is not without a positive message. Solomon encourages his readers to live life to its fullest, knowing life is short. In the end, the fullest life is one that honors God and keeps His ways (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14).
B but the dead know nothing;
B they have no further reward,
A and even their name is forgotten.
Lines 1 and 4 are parallel thoughts in the sense that the living know death is coming while those who remain after a person dies quickly forget those who have died. The second and third lines lay down associated ideas in parallel: the dead know nothing, and the dead can no longer enjoy or be rewarded for their activities in this life.
The saying “the dead know nothing” seems to be a negative sentiment, but it is not without a positive message. Solomon encourages his readers to live life to its fullest, knowing life is short. In the end, the fullest life is one that honors God and keeps His ways (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14).
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