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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?

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.

10 ⁵ There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as great an error as if it proceeded from the ruler: ⁶ folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place. ⁷ I have seen slaves on horseback, and princes walking on foot like slaves.
⁸ Whoever digs a pit will fall into it;
and whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a snake.
⁹ Whoever quarries stones will be hurt by them;
and whoever splits logs will be endangered by them.
¹⁰ If the iron is blunt, and one does not whet the edge,
then more strength must be exerted;
but wisdom helps one to succeed.
¹¹ If the snake bites before it is charmed,
there is no advantage in a charmer.
¹² Words spoken by the wise bring them favor,
but the lips of fools consume them.
¹³ The words of their mouths begin in foolishness,
and their talk ends in wicked madness;
¹⁴ yet fools talk on and on.
No one knows what is to happen,
and who can tell anyone what the future holds?
¹⁵ The toil of fools wears them out,
for they do not even know the way to town.
¹⁶ Alas for you, O land, when your king is a servant,
and your princes feast in the morning!
¹⁷ Happy are you, O land, when your king is a nobleman,
and your princes feast at the proper time—
for strength, and not for drunkenness!
¹⁸ Through sloth the roof sinks in,
and through indolence the house leaks.
¹⁹ Feasts are made for laughter;
wine gladdens life,
and money meets every need.
²⁰ Do not curse the king, even in your thoughts,
or curse the rich, even in your bedroom;
for a bird of the air may carry your voice,
or some winged creature tell the matter.
11 Send out your bread upon the waters,
for after many days you will get it back.
² Divide your means seven ways, or even eight,
for you do not know what disaster may happen on earth.
³ When clouds are full, they empty rain on the earth;
whether a tree falls to the south or to the north,
in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie.
⁴ Whoever observes the wind will not sow;
and whoever regards the clouds will not reap.

⁵ Just as you do not know how the breath comes to the bones in the mother’s womb, so you do not know the work of God, who makes everything.

⁶ In the morning sow your seed, and at evening do not let your hands be idle; for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good. NRSV

Get into the Word

1. What “evil” does the writer begin with in this section? How does it relate to the observation in the previous section? What images does he use to convey the problem?

2. What problems does the author mention next [vv. 8-9]? What is the general thread through each situation? What other images might he have used? Which is strongest for you? Why?

3. What does Solomon say about wisdom? About foolishness? How do these sayings compare to his ideas in Proverbs, [see Notes]?

4. What problems does the author identify regarding rulers? What images does he use here? How do you respond to these? What does he conclude about our response to kings?

5. What advice does the writer give in light of the uncertainty of life? Why do you suppose he used these situations? What others might he have included? How do you respond to these suggestions? 

Get Personal

What is the crucial difference between Solomon’s world-view and that of a Christian? How does this affect your approach to the future? How has God helped you deal with the uncertainties of this world?

10:5. An evil — Solomon continues his observation about inequality by noting rulers who put the wrong people (fools) into positions of authority or responsibility, or deny such positions to those who should be there (the wise).
10:8-9. Whoever . . . — a series of contingencies that points out how bad timing can nullify wisdom’s supposed advantages.
10:10. Whet the edge — sharpen (as an ax) this proverb applies wisdom to a common task; but v. 11 points out the problem of timing again.
10:12. Wise words — the author continues the discussion of wisdom, but always in light of our inability to know the future [v. 15]. Solomon said much about wisdom and foolishness in Proverbs, [check 14:15-18; 16:20-22; and 18:6-7 and 20].
10:16. Servant — Solomon describes the problems of living under a foolish ruler, but he still counsels obedience [v. 20] since a person doesn’t know what will happen in the future. Compare his 

thoughts in Proverbs: Fear the Lord and the king, and do not disobey either of them; for disaster comes from them suddenly, and who knows the ruin that both can bring, [24:21-22].
10:20. Bird — the image of small birds as stealth messengers – for good news as well as bad – appears throughout near-eastern and western culture.
11:1. Send your bread — the writer concludes this section with some practical advice in dealing with uncertainty. The first two suggestions are pro-active: engage in commerce but “don’t put all your eggs in one basket.”
11:3. When . . . whether — the next advice points out the futility of waiting for “just the right moment” because such a perfect time will never occur.
11:5. Just as — Solomon links the direction of the wind and the mystery of a developing baby as images of what we cannot know, which leads him to his final advice: keep busy since we don’t know which effort will ultimately pay off.

9All this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hate one does not know. Everything that confronts them ² is meaningless, since the same fate comes to all, to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to those who sacrifice and those who do not sacrifice. As are the good, so are the sinners; those who swear are like those who shun an oath. ³ This is an evil in all that happens under the sun, that the same fate comes to everyone. Moreover, the hearts of all are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead. ⁴ But whoever is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. ⁵ The living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no more reward, and even the memory of them is lost. ⁶ Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished; never again will they have any share in all that happens under the sun.

⁷ Go, eat your bread with enjoyment, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has long ago approved what you do. ⁸ Let your garments always be white; do not let oil be lacking on your head. ⁹ Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that are given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. ¹⁰ Whatever your hand finds to do, do with your might; for there is no work or thought or knowledge r wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.

¹¹ Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to the skillful; but time and chance happen to them all. ¹² For no one can anticipate the time of disaster. Like fish taken in a cruel net, and like birds caught in a snare, so mortals are snared at a time of calamity, hen it suddenly falls upon them.

Wisdom Superior to Folly

¹³ I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me.
¹⁴ There was a little city with few people in it. A great king came against it and besieged it, building great siegeworks against it. ¹⁵ Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man.
¹⁶ So I said, “Wisdom is better than might; yet the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heeded.”
¹⁷ The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded
than the shouting of a ruler among fools.
¹⁸ Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one bungler destroys much good.

Miscellaneous Observations

¹ Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a foul odor; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
² The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of a fool to the left.
³ Even when fools walk on the road, they lack sense, and show to everyone that they are fools.
⁴ If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your post, for calmness will undo great offenses.

Get into the Word

1. What has the author “examined?” What has he discovered about this question? How does Solomon feel about his findings? Why do you think he feels this way? How do you feel about his conclusion?

2. How does Solomon contrast life and death? Which is better in his mind? Why does he reach this conclusion [see Notes]? 

3. What does he advise people in this situation? What specific examples does he include here? How does this relate to our work? How do you respond to his advice?

4. What does the writer bring up next? What has he discovered about life? About fairness? About planning? About wisdom? About education?

5. What example does Solomon present? What happens in this example? What point is he trying to make here? How do you suppose the man felt? How would you feel in this situation?

6. How does he conclude this section? How does he contrast wisdom and folly? Which example seems most vivid to you? Why?

Get Personal

How is our situation different from Solomon’s situation? How does this difference affect your attitude toward life? Toward work? Toward Wisdom? Toward fairness? Toward death? How does God help you to trust his promises?

9:1-2. All this — Solomon begins with an echo of 8:2-10, but emphasizes that both wicked and righteous people will die in the same way (“same fate”) and neither will know their fate in advance.
9:3. An evil — since everyone will die regardless of how they conduct their life, and no one knows in advance what God might do, there is no hope and no incentive to be good, so people choose “the madness in their hearts.”
9:4. Joined with all the living — at this point Israelite beliefs did not include any sort of afterlife or existence after death, and Solomon has already observed there apparently is no consistent reward for good actions or punishment for bad actions in this life. He explains this concept in vv. 5-6.
A living dog is better than a dead lion — in Solomon’s time Middle Eastern culture considered dogs the worst of the animals and lions the best, which makes the saying even stronger.
9:7. Go, eat . . . — once more, Solomon ends up at the conclusion that people should enjoy the life they have since this is the life God gave them (the original English translation was “eat, drink and be merry”). Psalm 104 says that God gives people wine to gladden the human heart, oil to make the face shine, and bread to strengthen the human heart, [15].
White garments — were very practical in a desert climate. White is also a sign of purity and royalty. 
Oil on your head — kept a person’s skin soft

in the dry climate. Anointing with oil was also a sign of status or royalty.
9:10. Sheol — the “place of the dead.” Isaiah echoes this thought: for Sheol cannot thank you, death cannot praise you; those who go down to the Pit cannot hope for your faithfulness, [38:18].
9:11. Time and chance — even though Solomon has amply demonstrated the lack of apparent reason or fairness to the distribution of wealth and poverty or success and failure, the Israelites did not believe events were completely random as other cultures did. They considered such occurrences coincidences or unexpected events.
9:14-16. Little city — the author provides an example of wisdom and good works that go unrewarded because of others’ ignorance.
9:17-10:1. Solomon presents a series of proverbs contrasting wisdom and folly.
10:1. Dead flies — our modern version of this proverb is “one rotten apple can spoil the whole barrel.”
10:2. Right . . . left — the Middle Eastern culture believed the right hand was the hand of honor and strength; the left hand signified evil or unclean (the Latin word for left was “sinister”). The Psalms use this imagery a number of times [45:9, 63:8, 73:23-24, 110:5, 118:16]; and Jesus quotes Psalm 110: The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand, [Matt 22:44]. Interestingly, since the right hand wielded the sword, the left hand carried the shield, leaving the warrior’s right side unprotected and more vulnerable.

8Who is like the wise man?
And who knows the interpretation of a thing?
Wisdom makes one’s face shine,
and the hardness of one’s countenance is changed.

² Keep the king’s command because of your sacred oath. ³ Do not be terrified; go from his presence, do not delay when the matter is unpleasant, for he does whatever he pleases. ⁴ For the word of the king is powerful, and who can say to him, “What are you doing?”

⁵ Whoever obeys a command will meet no harm, and the wise mind will know the time and way. ⁶ For every matter has its time and way, although the troubles of mortals lie heavy upon them. ⁷ Indeed, they do not know what is to be, for who can tell them how it will be? ⁸ No one has power over the wind to restrain the wind, or power over the day of death; there is no discharge from the battle, nor does wickedness deliver those who practice it. ⁹ All this I observed, applying my mind to all that is done under the sun, while one person exercises authority over another to the other’s hurt.

God’s Ways Are Inscrutable

¹⁰ Then I saw the wicked buried; they used to go in and out of the holy place, and were praised in the city where they had done such things. This also is meaningless. ¹¹ Because sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the human heart is fully set to do evil. ¹² Though sinners do evil a hundred times and prolong their lives, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they stand in fear before him, ¹³ but it will not be well with the wicked, neither will they prolong their days like a shadow, because they do not stand in fear before God.

¹⁴ There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people who are treated according to the conduct of the wicked, and there are wicked people who are treated according to the conduct of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. ¹⁵ So I commend enjoyment, for there is nothing better for people under the sun than to eat, and drink, and enjoy themselves, for this will go with them in their toil through the days of life that God gives them under the sun.

¹⁶ When I applied my mind to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on earth, how one’s eyes see sleep neither day nor night, ¹⁷ then I saw all the work of God, that no one can find out what is happening under the sun. However much they may toil in seeking, they will not find it out; even though those who are wise claim to know, they cannot find it out.  NRSV

Get into the Word

1. What is the value of wisdom, according to Solomon? What does it do for a person?

2. What issue does he take up next? What does he advise? What reason does he offer to support his advice? What role does wisdom play in this situation? Do you agree with his advice here?

3. What do we all have in common regarding our future? How do you feel about this conclusion?

4. How does the writer describe humans? How does he feel about this situation? What contradictions does he mention? What other examples does he identify? How does he feel about this state of affairs?

5. What is Solomon’s advice about living under these conditions? Why does he feel this way? What does he conclude about understanding what is going on?

Consider

Are you concerned about the injustice in our world? Does this make you confident about the future, or are you uncertain? How does God help you deal with apparent contradictions between what is right and what seems to be rewarded?

8:1. Interpret — the Hebrew word here actually means “explanation.”
Shine — Solomon uses a figure of speech, not unlike the familiar blessing in Numbers: the Lord make his face to shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace, [6:25-26].
8:4. Who can say to him — Isaiah expresses the same idea, but about God: Woe to you who strive with your maker, earthen vessels with the potter!  Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the clay say to the one who fashions it, “What are you making?” Or “Your work has no handles”? [45:9].
8:5-6. Whoever obeys — Solomon here links wisdom with obedience to the king – wisdom will help the person find the right time and manner to act, even in a difficult situation.
8:7-8. No one — Solomon uses the person’s own death as the prime example of uncertainty: even though we know we are going to die, none of us can prevent or delay it – or escape the consequences of our own sinful actions and choices (“wickedness”).
8:9. Authority over another — injustice comes from humans’ ability to hurt one another.
8:11. Sentence against — the Bible mentions three types of punishment: death by stoning or burning, and mutilation. Other cultures included drowning and impalement.

Prison was used only for debtors or political opponents, or a person awaiting trail.
8:12. Yet I know — here Solomon affirms his own belief that our actions in this life do have consequences [v. 13, also check Proverbs 2:21-22 and 10:27], even though he must acknowledge the seeming contradiction in verse 14. He concludes that we cannot understand God’s approach to justice (“meaningless”). 
8:15. Nothing better — Solomon concludes, yet again [check 2:24, 3:13, 5:18] that we should enjoy life. The key here is the phrase “for people in this world.” Solomon is not making any judgment about the future.
8:17. No one can find out — the Hebrew is even stronger, with three negative expressions: “a person cannot understand all that God has done; no person can discover its meaning; even a wise person cannot comprehend God’s plan, no matter what the person claims to know.” 
Isaiah echoed this idea: For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts, [55:9]; as did Paul: O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? [Rom 11:33-34].

Memory Verse
Wisdom makes one’s face shine, and the hardness of one’s countenance is changed, [Eccl 8:1]

Next Lesson
Take life as it comes – Ecclesiastes 9

7A good name is better than precious ointment,
and the day of death, than the day of birth.
² It is better to go to the house of mourning
than to go to the house of feasting;
for this is the end of everyone,
and the living will lay it to heart.
³ Sorrow is better than laughter,
for by sadness of countenance the heart is made glad.
⁴ The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning;
but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
⁵ It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise
than to hear the song of fools.
⁶ For like the crackling of thorns under a pot,
so is the laughter of fools;
this also is vanity.
⁷ Surely oppression makes the wise foolish,
and a bribe corrupts the heart.
⁸ Better is the end of a thing than its beginning;
the patient in spirit are better than the proud in spirit.
⁹ Do not be quick to anger,
for anger lodges in the bosom of fools.
¹¹ Wisdom is as good as an inheritance,
an advantage to those who see the sun.

¹² For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to the one who possesses it.

¹³ Consider the work of God;
who can make straight what he has made crooked?

¹⁴ In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; God has made the one as well as the other, so that mortals may not find out anything that will come after them.

¹⁵ In my vain life I have seen everything; there are righteous people who perish in their righteousness, and there are wicked people who prolong their life in their evil-doing. ¹⁶ Do not be too righteous, and do not act too wise; why should you destroy yourself? ¹⁷ Do not be too wicked, and do not be a fool; why should you die before your time? ¹⁸ It is good that you should take hold of the one, without letting go of the other; for the one who fears God shall succeed with both.

¹⁹ Wisdom gives strength to the wise more than ten rulers that are in a city.

²⁰ Surely there is no one on earth so righteous as to do good without ever sinning.

²¹ Do not give heed to everything that people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you; ²² your heart knows that many times you have yourself cursed others.

²³ All this I have tested by wisdom; I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me. ²⁴ That which is, is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out? ²⁵ I turned my mind to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the sum of things, and to know that wickedness is folly and that foolishness is madness. ²⁶ I found more bitter than death the woman who is a trap, whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are fetters; one who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is taken by her.

²⁷ See, this is what I found, says the Teacher, adding one thing to another to find the sum, ²⁸ which my mind has sought repeatedly, but I have not found. One man among a thousand I found, but a woman among all these I have not found. ²⁹ See, this alone I found, that God made human beings straightforward, but they have devised many schemes.  NRSV

Get into the Word

1. What other book of the Bible does the first part of this chapter remind you of? [See Notes]. Why do you think the author used this style here? What is the general theme of these sayings?

2. What advice does the writer give in these verses? How do you respond to the advice? Which seems the most important to you? Why do you feel this way?

3. What does the author conclude about life? About death? About living? About money? About wisdom? About God? Why does the writer reach this conclusion?

4. What does the writer describe in the second part of the chapter? What does he conclude about behavior as a result of this finding? How do you respond to his suggestions?

5. What does the author say about wisdom in this section? About sin?

6. What was the writer trying to accomplish? How well did he succeed? Why did he end as he did? What did he discover about wisdom and “folly?” Where else is this image used, [see Notes]?

7. What is the author’s conclusion? What was his goal? How hard did he search? What did he find? How do you feel about his conclusion? Why? 

Consider

Have you tried to figure out why your life is the way it is? What conclusions did you reach? How has God helped you relax and trust him for your future? How has that worked for you?

7:1. Precious ointment — Old Testament writers used this as a symbol for reputation, as well as joy and prosperity. Solomon says it’s important to maintain a good reputation throughout your life. 
7:2-14. Better . . . — Solomon urges the reader to seriously consider the brief time we have in this world in the next thirteen verses, (which are really a collection of proverbs about the brevity of our lives) and concludes that this is how to gain wisdom. David expressed the same thought in Psalm 90: The days of our lives are seventy years, or perhaps eighty, if we are strong; even then their span is only toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. Who considers the power of you anger? Your wrath is as great as the far that is due you, [10-12].
7:6. Crackling of thorns — thorn bushes make a lot of noise when they are thrown on a fire, but they give very little heat and burn only a short time. David compared burning thorns to swarming bees, [Ps 118:12].
7:13. Make straight . . . crooked — Solomon advises us to accept life as it is (“the way God does things”) because we can neither change nor figure out why God has done something a certain way.
7:14. One as well as the other — so hard times are not a sign of God’s displeasure any more than prosperity is a sign of God’s favor, and we will not discover any pattern or rationale in this life.
7:15. Seen everything — Solomon

acknowledges the seeming contradictions in life (good people dying young and evil people living long). So he encourages us to be moderate: don’t depend on our righteous behavior (which is impossible anyway, see verse 20) to give us a long life, and don’t ignore what we know is right just because someone else apparently “got away with” bad behavior. Solomon still believed in God’s judgment [3:17].
7:19. An echo of Proverbs 21:22.
7:23. All this . . . was far from me — Solomon repeats his goal from 1:6, but acknowledges his failure to always “be wise.”
7:26. Woman who is a trap — Solomon repeats his image of “folly” or wickedness from Proverbs 1-9, and reaches the same conclusion: only the “wise” or morally upright person will escape her wiles.
7:28. I have not found — Solomon was looking for people “who are pleasing to God,” [v. 26].
One man . . . but a woman — “Man” in this sentence is the Hebrew “adam” which means humankind, while “woman” is a metaphor for a subset of “humans” in this poetic construction: I might find one in a thousand; no, it’s even less than that.
7:29. But they have devised many schemes — God did not cause this situation, “they” – the Hebrew means both men and women – were created virtuous but turned and followed their own “schemes.”

Memory Verse
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools, [Eccl 7:5]

Next Lesson
Obey the King and enjoy yourself — Ecclesiastes 8

6There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy upon humankind: ² those to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that they la3f0e0ck nothing of all that they desire, yet God does not enable them to enjoy these things, but a stranger enjoys them. This is meaningless; it is a grievous ill. ³ A man may beget a hundred children, and live many years; but however many are the days of his years, if he does not enjoy life’s good things, or has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. ⁴ For it becomes meaningless and goes into darkness, and in darkness its name is covered; ⁵ moreover it has not seen the sun or known anything; yet it finds rest rather than he. ⁶ Even though he should live a thousand years twice over, yet enjoy no good—do not all go to one place?

⁷ All human toil is for the mouth, yet the appetite is not satisfied. ⁸ For what advantage have the wise over fools? And what do the poor have who know how to conduct themselves before the living?
⁹ Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire; this also is meaningless and a chasing after wind.

¹⁰ Whatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what human beings are, and that they are not able to dispute with those who are stronger. ¹¹ The more words, the more vanity, so how is one the better? ¹² For who knows what is good for mortals while they live the few days of their vain life, which they pass like a shadow? For who can tell them what will be after them under the sun?  NRSV

Get into the Word

1. How is this tragedy different than the situation in the previous chapter? Which do you think is more tragic?

2. How does Solomon describe wealth in this example? What does he compare the situation to? Why are they similar? Which does the author say is better? Which do you feel is better?

3. What does the writer conclude about wise people? Poor people? Fools? Why does he feel this way? How do you respond to his conclusion? 

4. What does Solomon say about the human condition? About destiny? Who is really in charge? 

Get Personal

Have you ever argued with God about your future? Was it something you wanted to do or something you wanted to avoid? How did God help you get in line with his plan for your life? How do you feel about it now?

6:1. Evil I have seen — Solomon turns from wealth and the ability to enjoy it, to the counterpoint: wealth but no opportunity to enjoy it. His father expressed a similar idea: When we look at the wise, they die; fool and dolt perish together and leave their wealth to others, [Psalm 49:10]. Paul took a positive view in his advice to Timothy: Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment, [1 Tim 6:6].
6:2. Stranger — probably someone other than a family member; the Hebrew word was also used for “another person.” Jesus uses this idea in his parable of the rich farmer [Luke 12:16-21].
Grievous ill — the Hebrew word here is different than in Chapter 5; it is closer to “virulent disease or illness.”
6:3. A man may . . . — Solomon expands on the tragedy with a possible example.
No burial — a proper burial was extremely important to the Israelites as a sign of respect. Both Isaiah and Jeremiah prophesied about evil kings’ insulting end, [check Isa 14:19-20 or Jer 22:18-19].
Stillborn child — Solomon compares the fate of a person with no “satisfaction in life” with a stillborn baby. Neither has any real life and both are dead at the end; but perhaps nothing is better than striving and being unhappy. He echoes David: Remember how short my time isfor what vanity you have created all mortals! Who can live and never see death? Who can escape the power of Sheol? [Psalm 89: 47-48]. Job also holds the same view: Why did I not die at birth, come forth from the womb and expire? Why were there knees to receive me, or breasts for me to suck? Now I would be lying down and quiet; I would be asleep; then I would be at res, [3:11-13].
:7. For the mouth — Solomon confirms God’s prophecy in Genesis: cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life, [3:17].

6:9. Chasing the wind — this is the last use of this phrase, as Solomon returns – again – to the proposition that the best option is to enjoy what one actually has; any other course is meaningless. 
6:10. Already been named — Solomon repeats his earlier assertions that God has ordained every person’s existence [check 1:9, 1:15, 3:11-14]. God told Jeremiah, Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations,” [1:5].
6:12. Who knows . . . Who can tell . . . — these rhetorical questions emphasize Solomon’s belief that a person cannot know what God’s plan entails. Micah actually had an answer: He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God, [Micah 6:8].
Jesus expressed the same idea positively: Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? [Matt 6:25-27].
Like a shadow — David used the image of a shadow as well: Surely everyone goes about like a shadow. Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; they heap up, and do not know who will gather, [Psalm 39:6]. 
C.S. Lewis described humans as the ghosts or shadows in The Great Divorce. The inhabitants of heaven were the solid, substantial beings – symbolizing the strength of spiritual life over the lack of substance in the earthly life.

Memory Verse
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire; this also is meaningless and a chasing after wind, [Ecclesiastes 6:9]

Next Lesson
A disillusioned view of life — Ecclesiastes 7