« | Ecclesiastes 3 | » |
1 Everything on earth has its own time and its own season.
2 There is a time for birth and death, planting and reaping,
3 for killing and healing, destroying and building,
4 for crying and laughing, weeping and dancing,
5 for throwing stones and gathering stones, embracing and parting.
6 There is a time for finding and losing, keeping and giving,
7 for tearing and sewing, listening and speaking.
8 There is also a time for love and hate, for war and peace.
9 What do we gain by all of our hard work?
10 I have seen what difficult things God demands of us.
11 God makes everything happen at the right time. Yet none of us can ever fully understand all he has done, and he puts questions in our minds about the past and the future.
12 I know the best thing we can do is to always enjoy life,
13 because God's gift to us is the happiness we get from our food and drink and from the work we do.
14 Everything God has done will last forever; nothing he does can ever be changed. God has done all this, so that we will worship him.
15 Everything that happens has happened before, and all that will be has already been-- God does everything over and over again.
16 Everywhere on earth I saw violence and injustice instead of fairness and justice.
17 So I told myself that God has set a time and a place for everything. He will judge everyone, both the wicked and the good.
18 I know that God is testing us to show us that we are merely animals.
19 Like animals we breathe and die, and we are no better off than they are. It just doesn't make sense.
20 All living creatures go to the same place. We are made from earth, and we return to the earth.
21 Who really knows if our spirits go up and the spirits of animals go down into the earth?
22 We were meant to enjoy our work, and that's the best thing we can do. We can never know the future.
The Contemporary English Version (CEV)
The Contemporary English Version (CEV) is a modern Bible translation that aims to make the scriptures accessible and understandable to a broad audience, including children and those with limited English proficiency. Published by the American Bible Society in 1995, the CEV emphasizes clarity, readability, and ease of comprehension. Unlike more literal translations, the CEV uses a thought-for-thought translation philosophy, which focuses on conveying the original meaning of the text in a way that is clear and straightforward for contemporary readers.
One of the key features of the CEV is its use of everyday language and simple sentence structures. The translators avoided theological jargon and archaic terms, instead opting for language that is commonly used in daily conversation. This makes the CEV particularly well-suited for public reading, educational settings, and outreach programs where the audience might not be familiar with traditional biblical language. The translation strives to communicate the essence of the biblical message without the barriers that complex language can sometimes create.
The CEV also pays special attention to cultural sensitivity and inclusivity. The translators sought to avoid expressions and idioms that might be misunderstood or offensive in different cultural contexts. Additionally, the CEV includes gender-neutral language where appropriate, aiming to make the text more inclusive while still remaining faithful to the original manuscripts. This approach helps ensure that Bible teachings are accessible to a diverse global audience, promoting understanding and acceptance across different cultures and communities.
Despite its strengths, the CEV has faced some criticism from those who prefer more literal translations. Critics argue that the CEV emphasises on simplicity and readability which can sometimes result in a loss of nuance and depth found in the original languages. Some theologians and scholars believe that the thought-for-thought approach may oversimplify complex theological concepts. Nevertheless, the Contemporary English Version remains a valuable resource for many readers, offering a clear and approachable rendition of the Bible that is particularly effective for those new to the scriptures or those seeking a more accessible way to engage with the biblical text.