Under the Sun

 

 

What does it mean:

This phrase under the sun?

29 times in Ecclesiastes,

The rest of the Bible: none.

 

Especially mention #2

No new thing under the sun

And that which is done

Is that which shall be done.

 

A special word emerges

With this interesting phrase

In 10 verses I discovered it

And upon it gazed.

 

That special word is labour

With which we are occupied

Morning, noon and night

In order to provide.

 

 

Food for our tables

And clothing for our backs

With the hope that if we strive

There will be no lack.

 

And all this toil and labour

Is done under the sun

And it all comes to an end

When our day is done.

 

Day in and day out

Generation after generation

Dealing with the vagaries of life

While under the sun.

 

Sleeping, working and playing

Studying and coming of age

The common denominator being

Under the sun at very stage.

 

 

What profit hath a man of all his labour

Which he taketh under the sun?

  

I looked on all the works

That my hands had done

And all was vanity and vexation of spirit

And of no profit under the sun.

 

Yea I hated all my labour

Which I had taken under the sun

Because I should leave it to another

After my work was done.

 

And who knows whether he shall be

A wise man or a fool?

Yet after my labour under the sun,

Over it he shall rule.

 

It is under the sun we labour

Not for ourselves, but another,

So labour on we must

And let it not be a bother.

 

 

We all are beneficiaries

Of another’s toil and labour

So, as under the sun we daily toil,

Thank God for His favour.

 

Stewart Russell © August 29, 2021