Get Ready
What is the best thing you remember about your youth? Was it a special skill or ability? Was it related to where you lived at the time? Was it the freedom you experienced or the opportunities that you had? Was it related to the lack of obligations you had at the time?
The Word
11 7 Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun.
8 Even those who live many years should rejoice in them all; yet let them remember that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is meaningless.
9 Rejoice, young man, while you are young, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Follow the inclination of your heart and the desire of your eyes, but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.
10 Banish anxiety from your mind, and put away pain from your body; for youth and the dawn of life are meaningless.
12 Remember your creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come, and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; 2 before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return with the rain; 3 in the day when the guards of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the women who grind cease working because they are few, and those who look through the windows see dimly; 4 when the doors on the street are shut, and the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low; 5 when one is afraid of heights, and terrors are in the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along and desire fails; because all must go to their eternal home, and the mourners will go about the streets; 6 before the silver cord is snapped,and the golden bowl is broken, and the pitcher is broken at the fountain, and the wheel broken at the cistern, 7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the breath returns to God who gave it. 8 Meaningless, meaningless, says the Teacher; all is meaningless.
Epilogue
9 Besides being wise, the Teacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs.
10 The Teacher sought to find pleasing words, and he wrote words of truth plainly.
11 The sayings of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings that are given by one shepherd.
12 Of anything beyond these, my child, beware. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for that is the whole duty of everyone. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil. NRSV
Get into the Word
1. How does the author contrast youth and old age? What does he say about youth? What does he caution young people about? Why should we “remember our Creator?”
2. How does the writer feel about old age? What images does he use to depict advancing age? Why do you suppose he used so many? Which ones made the strongest impression on you?
3. How does Solomon conclude his work? How does this relate to the beginning? How does it relate to the content of the work?
4. How does the author describe himself? His approach to the work? His qualifications? What images does he use to explain his choice of words? What does he say about reading other sources or getting other opinions?
5. How does Solomon introduce his “final conclusion?” What is his final conclusion? How does he justify this finding?
Get Personal
Do you agree with Solomon’s “final conclusion” even though his book demonstrates that “everything is meaningless?” How does God help you deal with the uncertainties of life? With the apparent unfairness of life? With the brevity of life?
Notes . . .
11:7. Light — often a metaphor for life, as “dark” is a metaphor for death in v. 8.
11:8. Meaningless — the meaning here is “unknown” or “unknowable,” (not “without meaning” or “chaotic”) the theme Solomon has been working with throughout this section, as in “no one knows what will happen after this life,” [also in v. 10].
11:9. Rejoice — the author repeats his conclusion about living in the face of uncertainty [see 2:24; 3:13; 8:15; 9:7], but here he adds the admonition that God will judge all our activities.
11:10. Banish anxiety — the advice here is also very contemporary: physical, emotional and psychological health are interdependent.
12:1. Remember — the Hebrew word actually is more than “don’t forget” – it includes the idea of “follow” or “serve” as in Deut 8:18, and Psalm 119:55.
Your Creator — focuses on God as the one who gives us life (and death).
12:2-7. Before . . . — a series of images of aging: loss of clear vision (Solomon did not invent glasses), weak or trembling muscles, stooping posture, decaying teeth, inability to work, failing hearing, poor sleep, increased anxiety, white hair, slower gait, decreased sexual interest, declining mental abilities (“golden bowl broken”), and death [v. 7].
12:5. Almond tree — blossoms in early spring before its leaves come out, so the tree full of white blossoms is a
striking image.
12:7. Dust . . . breath — Solomon echoes Genesis 2:7. The same image appears in Job: If he should take back his spirit to himself and gather to himself his breath, all flesh would perish together, and all mortals would return to dust, [34:14-15], and Psalm 104: When you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust, [29-30].
12:8. Meaningless — a very strong echo of the book’s opening.
12:9. Wise — the Old Testament recognizes three types of leaders – wise persons, priests and prophets – who reveal God’s will to the people [as in Jer 18:18 and Ezek 7:26]. Solomon is justifying his work and laying the groundwork for his final advice.
12:11. Sayings of the wise — Solomon adds two more images to underscore the importance of his words.
Goads — poles with sharp points or protruding nails commonly used to guide livestock.
12:12. Anything beyond these — basically, the author is saying it is a waste of time to look for a different answer in other books.
12:13. End of the matter — Solomon makes explicit what he has been saying throughout the book: every person should honor God because he is the one who will judge every act (even the secret acts) of every person.
Memory Verse
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments, for that is the whole duty of everyone, [Ecclesiastes 11:13]
Next Lesson
We are going back to the New Testament for a close look at the letters of James, Peter, John and Jude.