--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The ancient covenant is in pieces; man…" description: "\"“The ancient covenant is in pieces; man knows at last that he is alone in the universe's unfeeling immensity, out of which he emerged only by chance. H..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fa/jacques-monod-18055_alone_the-ancient-covenant-is-in-pieces-man-kn_2761874.jpg" --- # The ancient covenant is in pieces; man knows at last that… ![“The ancient covenant is in pieces; man knows at last that he is alone in the universe's unfeeling immensity, out of which he emerged only by chance. His destiny is nowhere spelled out, nor is his duty. The kingdom above or the darkness below: it is for him to choose.” quote by Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fa/jacques-monod-18055_alone_the-ancient-covenant-is-in-pieces-man-kn_2761874.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fa/jacques-monod-18055_alone_the-ancient-covenant-is-in-pieces-man-kn_2761874.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fa/jacques-monod-18055_alone_the-ancient-covenant-is-in-pieces-man-kn_2761874.jpg) > ““The ancient covenant is in pieces; man knows at last that he is alone in the universe's unfeeling immensity, out of which he emerged only by chance. His destiny is nowhere spelled out, nor is his duty. The kingdom above or the darkness below: it is for him to choose.”” [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human existence is a product of chance, leaving destiny and duty undefined, thus requiring personal choice. **In simple terms:** Life is chance, choose your path. Key Takeaway Take responsibility for your choices. Themes existentialism freedom choice Mood philosophical thoughtful Type reflective inspirational When to use this quote - career decisions - ethical dilemmas - personal relationships Key Concepts determinism meaninglessness Questions to Reflect On - What choices define you? - How do you find meaning amid randomness? A Different Perspective Freedom can be overwhelming without guidance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alone/) [Ancient Covenant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient-covenant-3176217/) [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Covenant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/covenant/) [Covenant Pieces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/covenant-pieces-3176218/) [Darkness Choose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness-choose-866597/) [Destiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destiny/) [Meaning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaning/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) ## Related quotes > [Man at last knows that he is alone in the unfeeling immensity of the universe, out of which he emerged only by chance. Neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/man-at-last-knows-that-he-is-alone-in-the-unfeeling-immensity-of-the/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [“I'm choosing good over evil, light over darkness. I choose humanity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stark/i-m-choosing-good-over-evil-light-over-darkness-i-choose-humanity/) [Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stark/) > [Remember that you have a choice in what you see. If you choose to see a person's darkness, you strengthen your darkness within. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-bernstein/remember-that-you-have-a-choice-in-what-you-see-if-you-choose-to-see/) [Gabrielle Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-bernstein/) > [“The issue is now quite clear. It is between light and darkness and every one must choose his side.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/the-issue-is-now-quite-clear-it-is-between-light-and-darkness-and/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [You choose darkness, you choose light, but you will know if you chose right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haddi-az/you-choose-darkness-you-choose-light-but-you-will-know-if-you-chose/) [Haddi Az](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haddi-az/) > [“In a world full of darkness, choose to be the light in your corner.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitta-xinindlu/in-a-world-full-of-darkness-choose-to-be-the-light-in-your-corner/) [Mitta Xinindlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitta-xinindlu/) > [“All creatures are capable of darkness, but not all choose to succumb to it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-humphreys/all-creatures-are-capable-of-darkness-but-not-all-choose-to-succumb/) [Sara Humphreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-humphreys/) > [The issue is now clear. 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The covenant is seasonable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/various/god-is-worming-out-his-and-our-adversaries-which-he-will-do-by-little/) [Various](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/various/) > [God will keep His promises to you as you honor your covenants with Him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carole-m-stephens/god-will-keep-his-promises-to-you-as-you-honor-your-covenants-with-him/) [Carole M. Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carole-m-stephens/) > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) ## More by Jacques Monod > [One of the great problems of philosophy, is the relationship between the realm of knowledge and the realm of values. Knowledge is what is;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/one-of-the-great-problems-of-philosophy-is-the-relationship-between/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [Modern societies accepted the treasures and the power offered them by science. But they have not accepted - they have scarcely even heard -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/modern-societies-accepted-the-treasures-and-the-power-offered-them-by/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [Man's destiny is nowhere spelled out, nor is his duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/man-s-destiny-is-nowhere-spelled-out-nor-is-his-duty/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [Among all the occurrences possible in the universe the a priori probability of any particular one of them verges upon zero. 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Within it, all the way down to the microscopic structure of its proteins, it bears the traces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/every-living-being-is-also-a-fossil-within-it-all-the-way-down-to-the/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [There are living systems; there is no'living matter'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/there-are-living-systems-there-is-no-living-matter/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [Evolution in the biosphere is therefore a necessarily irreversible process defining a direction in time; a direction which is the same as that enjoined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/evolution-in-the-biosphere-is-therefore-a-necessarily-irreversible/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [“When one ponders on the tremendous journey of evolution over the past three billion years or so, the prodigious wealth of structures it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/when-one-ponders-on-the-tremendous-journey-of-evolution-over-the-past/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [The future of mankind is going to be decided within the next two generations, and there are two absolute requisites: We must aim at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/the-future-of-mankind-is-going-to-be-decided-within-the-next-two/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [The scientific attitude implies the postulate of objectivity-that is to say, the fundamental postulate that there is no plan; that there is no intention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/the-scientific-attitude-implies-the-postulate-of-objectivity-that-is/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [There are living systems; there is no living "matter." 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