Play-07: Times from Ecclesiastes, 3, 1-12

Play-07: Times from Ecclesiastes, 3, 1-12 Short Question Answers
Theme: The poem describes life as unfolding according to a predetermined schedule. Everything occurs at a specific, appointed time. Nature has orchestrated the universe to maintain control and order. Birth and death, happiness and sorrow, are all subject to a fixed timeline. The passage of time brings change and reversal, yet we are all bound to its rhythm. We are helpless to resist the flow of time, which carries us along like passengers on a ship. Ultimately, time governs our lives, dictating the ebbs and flows of human experience.
1	What is the importance of time in our daily life?
Ans:	The time has great importance in our daily life. There is a time for every purpose under the heaven. No work can be done before or after time.
2.	What is the role of time in the universe?
Ans:	The time plays a vital role in this universe. Everything has a time schedule. The day and night change within time limit. The cycle of life and death, sowing and reaping, building and destroying, weeping and laughing, speaking and keeping quiet has a time.
3.	Do season follow the time limit?
Ans:	Yes, all seasons and climes follow time limit. After a specific time, a season ends and the other sets in. there is a time for winter, and a time for summer. A time for spring, and a time for autumn.
4.	Can we get crops before or after time?
Ans:	It is impossible to get crops before or after a particular time. The farmers have to follow the seasonal conditions to grow and harvest their crops.
5.	Does our life and death scheduled?
Ans:	Yes, there is a time to born and a time to die. No one can live or die before or after time.
6.	What is the importance of time in our conversation?
Ans:	Time has great importance in our conversation. There is time to speak and a time to be spent. Inappropriate conversation can be disastrous.
7.	What is the theme of the poem?
Ans:	The theme of the poem is that we should lead our life according to time table. Only those people succeed in life who value their time.
8.	From where has the poem ‘Time’ been taken? OR What is Ecclesiasts?
Ans:	These verses have been taken from a book “Ecclesiastes”, which is the name of a book in the Bible. It is attributed to holy soloman. It means preaching.
9.	How does the poet use the technique of contrast in life?
Ans:	The poet has beautifully used the technique of contrast to highlight the importance of time, e.g there is a time to born a time to die. There is a time to sow and a time to reap, and a time to speak and a time to be quiet.
10.	Is there a fixed time for everything to do?
Ans:	Yes, under the heaven, there is a fixed time for everything to do. No human being can change the scheme of time. We much accept time as Allah has planned it.
11.	What is the message/ theme of the poem of ‘Times’?
Ans:	The poem relates that everything takes place at its fixed. No human being can change the scheme of time. Some moments bring us joy, the others make us sad. If a period is fruitful the other may be fruitless. All this does not occur by chance, rather it is decided by Allah.
12.	What does the title of the poem, ‘Time’ suggest?
Ans:	It suggests that everything takes place at its fixed time. Nothing occurs by chance. Allah has set a time for every activity. We must know the appropriate time for doing various things.
13.	Why is it important for us to do a thing at its appropriate time?
Ans:	The poem relates that it is very important for us to do everything at its proper moment, otherwise our efforts will go to waste.
14.	Explain the verse: “To everything there is a season”.
Ans:	The line relates that there is a season for everything. For example, for rebirth, there is spring. For joy, there is summer and for harvest, there is autumn.
15.	Explain the verse that there is “a time to every purpose under the heaven.”
Ans:	The line relates that Allah has set a time for every activity. Everything takes place at its fixed time. No human being can change the scheme of time set by Allah.
16.	Explain the verse: “A time to be born, and a time to die.”
Ans:	The verse recites that everything starts at a specific time and ends at a fixed time. We must remember that a new beginning always requires an ending.
17.	Explain the verse: “A time to plant, and a time pluck up that which is planted.”
Ans:	There is a time to plant trees and sow seeds. Then there comes a time to harvest the fruit of your plantation. We cannot enjoy one without the other.
18.	Explain the verse: “a time to break down, and a time to build up.”
Ans:	The line relates that there is a time to demolish things and to build the new ones. You cannot build something new unless you demolish the old one.
19.	Explain the verse: “a time to weep, and a time to dance.”
Ans:	The verse relates that certain and moments make us weep. We must weep when the situation calls for tears. Weeping will lessen our grief. Then there comes the time that makes us laugh. It makes us dance with delight.
20.	Explain the verse: “a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together.”
Ans:	The phrase “to cast away stones” refers to the destruction of an old building then there comes a time when we gather stones to build a new building.
21.	Explain the verse: “a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.”
Ans:	These lines refer to the acts of love. We should show our love by embracing but if we want to keep our love secret, we should stop ourselves from embracing.
22.	Explain the verse: “a time to get, and a time to lose.”
Ans:	At times, we get material things. They satisfy our deep desires. But usually such things hinder our way to spiritual insight. If it happens we must get rid of them.
23.	Explain the verse: “a time to keep, and a time to cast away.”
Ans:	We keep material things to satisfy our desires. But usually such things hinder our way to spiritual insight. If it happens, we must throw them away.
24.	Explain the verse: “a time to rend, and a time to sew.”
Ans:	At the time of sorrow, we rent our clothes and weep. In this way, we give vent to our sad emotions. But usually, if our clothes get torn we sew them and mend them. We do not like to wear torn clothes.
25.	Explain the verse: “a time to keep silence, and a time to speak.”
Ans:	It requires great wisdom to know when to speak. We must utter the words of wisdom and sympathy. But it is better to be silent than to tell a lie or to speak ill of others.

This poem centers on the profound understanding that life unfolds in a series of contrasting yet interconnected moments, each with its appointed time. Drawing directly from Ecclesiastes, it emphasizes the cyclical nature of existence, highlighting that joy and sorrow, creation and destruction, are not random occurrences but rather integral parts of a larger, divinely orchestrated rhythm. The poem invites reflection on the acceptance of these inevitable seasons and the wisdom found in recognizing the appropriate time for every purpose under heaven.

Ecclesiastes, time, cycles of life, seasons, wisdom, reflection, Old Testament, poetry, spirituality, transience.