--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ecclesiastes says: “Instead of justice…" description: "\"“Ecclesiastes says: “Instead of justice there was wickedness, instead of righteousness, there was yet more wickedness…. But God will judge them all, bo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd6/paulo-coelho-10_justice_ecclesiastes-says-instead-of-justice-the_27090.jpg" --- # Ecclesiastes says: “Instead of justice there was… ![“Ecclesiastes says: “Instead of justice there was wickedness, instead of righteousness, there was yet more wickedness…. But God will judge them all, both the righteous and the wicked, God will judge them both, for there is a time for every intention, a time for every deed.” quote by Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd6/paulo-coelho-10_justice_ecclesiastes-says-instead-of-justice-the_27090.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd6/paulo-coelho-10_justice_ecclesiastes-says-instead-of-justice-the_27090.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd6/paulo-coelho-10_justice_ecclesiastes-says-instead-of-justice-the_27090.jpg) > ““Ecclesiastes says: “Instead of justice there was wickedness, instead of righteousness, there was yet more wickedness…. But God will judge them all, both the righteous and the wicked, God will judge them both, for there is a time for every intention, a time for every deed.”” [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage reflects on the prevalence of moral decay and asserts that divine justice will ultimately balance righteousness and wickedness, emphasizing that every action has its appointed time. **In simple terms:** Divine justice balances moral extremes over time. Key Takeaway All deeds meet their destined judgment. Themes justice wickedness righteousness divine judgment temporal order Mood reflective solemn thoughtful Type philosophical theological proverbial When to use this quote - judging societal corruption - reflecting on personal morality - considering consequences of actions - theological discussions - philosophical debates Key Concepts moral decay cosmic balance inevitability ethical accountability Practical Applications - theological teaching - ethical counseling Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean that there is a time for every deed? - How does this view affect personal responsibility? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Wickedness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wickedness/) ## Related quotes > [God sees with utter clarity who we are. He is undeceived as to our warts and wickedness. But when God looks at us that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/god-sees-with-utter-clarity-who-we-are-he-is-undeceived-as-to-our/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [Christ was either the grandest, guiltiest of impostors, by a marvelous and most subtle refinement of wickedness, or He was God manifest in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herrick-johnson/christ-was-either-the-grandest-guiltiest-of-impostors-by-a-marvelous/) [Herrick Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herrick-johnson/) > [In the Israelite encampment, even though there were iniquities, sins, and wickedness, God did not see any of them because the blood of bulls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/in-the-israelite-encampment-even-though-there-were-iniquities-sins/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [“Ecclesiastes 5:5–6 says, “It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/ecclesiastes-5-5-6-says-it-is-better-not-to-vow-than-to-make-a-vow/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-goodwin/do-not-be-yoked-together-with-unbelievers-for-what-do-righteousness/) [Mark Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-goodwin/) > [The evils of popular government appear greater than they are; there is compensation for them in spirit and energy it awakens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-evils-of-popular-government-appear-greater-than-they-are-there-is/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“He made a pit and digged it. He was cunning in his plans and industrious in his labors. He stooped to the dirty work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-h-spurgeon/he-made-a-pit-and-digged-it-he-was-cunning-in-his-plans-and/) [Charles H. Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-h-spurgeon/) > [WITCH, n. (1) Any ugly and repulsive old woman, in a wicked league with the devil. (2) A beautiful and attractive young woman, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/witch-n-1-any-ugly-and-repulsive-old-woman-in-a-wicked-league-with/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [“If you think that you're so smart and holy, that means you haven't yet realized that a part of what we experience today...is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/if-you-think-that-you-re-so-smart-and-holy-that-means-you-haven-t-yet/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [But all the wickedness in the world which man may do or think is no more to the mercy of God than a live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-langland/but-all-the-wickedness-in-the-world-which-man-may-do-or-think-is-no/) [William Langland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-langland/) > [A wicked mortal is not the idea of God. He is little else than the expression of error. To suppose that sin, lust, hatred,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/a-wicked-mortal-is-not-the-idea-of-god-he-is-little-else-than-the/) [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) > [“I had not then learned the measure of “man’s inhumanity to man,” nor to what limitless extent of wickedness he will go for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-northup/i-had-not-then-learned-the-measure-of-man-s-inhumanity-to-man-nor-to/) [Solomon Northup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-northup/) > [The combative instinct is a savage prompting by which one man's good is found in another's evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/the-combative-instinct-is-a-savage-prompting-by-which-one-man-s-good/) [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) > [...it isn't foolish or wicked to enjoy. Wickedness is hurting people on purpose. I love what you are and who you are and how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/it-isn-t-foolish-or-wicked-to-enjoy-wickedness-is-hurting-people-on/) [John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) > [While the people retain their virtue and vigilance, no administration, by any extreme of wickedness or folly, can very seriously injure the government in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/while-the-people-retain-their-virtue-and-vigilance-no-administration/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## More by Paulo Coelho > [I have inside me the winds, the deserts, the oceans, the stars, and everything created in the universe. We were all made by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-have-inside-me-the-winds-the-deserts-the-oceans-the-stars-and/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Love will never separate a man from his personal legend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/love-will-never-separate-a-man-from-his-personal-legend/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [The world has a soul and whoever understands that soul can also understand the language of many things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-world-has-a-soul-and-whoever-understands-that-soul-can-also/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [To love is to be in communion with the other and to discover in that other the spark of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/to-love-is-to-be-in-communion-with-the-other-and-to-discover-in-that/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [It is not enough to dream of the Impossible Love - it is necessary to conquer it too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/it-is-not-enough-to-dream-of-the-impossible-love-it-is-necessary-to/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Eat when it is time to eat. And walk when it is time to walk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/eat-when-it-is-time-to-eat-and-walk-when-it-is-time-to-walk/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [People are reading more and writing more because of the internet. So the virtual world is a way for me to listen to my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/people-are-reading-more-and-writing-more-because-of-the-internet-so/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Joy is like sex – it begins and ends. I want pleasure. I want to be contended, but happiness? I no longer fall into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/joy-is-like-sex-it-begins-and-ends-i-want-pleasure-i-want-to-be/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Trudi se da zivis, sjecanja su za starije ljude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/trudi-se-da-zivis-sjecanja-su-za-starije-ljude/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I've always been a very restless person. I work hard, spend too much time looking after my son, I dance like a mad thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-ve-always-been-a-very-restless-person-i-work-hard-spend-too-much/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [When someone leaves, it's because someone else is about to arrive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/when-someone-leaves-it-s-because-someone-else-is-about-to-arrive/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [The past and the future become unimportant. There is only that moment, and the incredible certainty that everything under the sun has been written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-past-and-the-future-become-unimportant-there-is-only-that-moment/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [She didn't need to understand the meaning of life; it was enough to find someone who did, and then fall asleep in his arms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/she-didn-t-need-to-understand-the-meaning-of-life-it-was-enough-to/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“The simpler the pose, the better; the more sober, the more beautiful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-simpler-the-pose-the-better-the-more-sober-the-more-beautiful/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) [Explore all 3,665 Paulo Coelho quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) ## More Justice quotes > [Never fight on the wrong side; you might win but the burden of guilt is more than a loss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilian-salan/never-fight-on-the-wrong-side-you-might-win-but-the-burden-of-guilt/) [Lilian Salan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilian-salan/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. 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I have signed two or three Licences every Day \[as a Fairfax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mason/this-cold-weather-has-set-all-the-young-folks-to-providing-bedfellows/) [George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mason/) > [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/) [L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/) > [At minimum, we must recognize that there are legitimate, unanswered questions about whether the Obama Justice Department involved themselves in a political project targeting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-meadows/at-minimum-we-must-recognize-that-there-are-legitimate-unanswered/) [Mark Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-meadows/) > [We need to incorporate that age-old concept of redemption into the work that we do in the criminal justice system in California.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamala-harris/we-need-to-incorporate-that-age-old-concept-of-redemption-into-the/) [Kamala Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamala-harris/) > [There is no freedom without justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-wiesenthal/there-is-no-freedom-without-justice/) [Simon Wiesenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-wiesenthal/) > [“The absence of judgment becomes a catalyst and an enabler for greater injustice. 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