Review of Ecclesiastes

Everything is Meaningless

“Meaningless! Meaningless!”
says the Teacher.
“Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless.”

Wisdom is Meaningless

16 I said to myself, “Look, I have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.” 17 Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.

For with much wisdom comes much sorrow;

the more knowledge, the more grief.

Pleasure is a Ghost

I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless. 2 “Laughter,” I said, “is madness. And what does pleasure accomplish?” 3 I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.

When I found pleasure, it escaped me, and my days were filled with the dust of the wind.

Beauty is Precious, Unattainable, Transient

Then I said to myself, “Come now, I will search for each thing which is beautiful and gaze upon it." And I amassed gold plates and jewels and looked upon them, and they were beautiful for only seconds. And I sought the most talented musicians and heard them play, and I was amused but for a moment.

And then I sought the fairest maidens and the handsomest youths, and they were beautiful. But in the shadow of their beauty I saw my own repulsiveness reflected. My face was wrinkled, and there was none who could restore my youth.

The handsomest youth and the fairest maiden will each suffer the curse of age. Beauty is precious to those with which it are blessed and grievous to those who are lacking. For all, it fades as quickly as it comes.

Toil is Meaningless

So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because none of them brought me pleasure.

Wisdom is Useless without Desire

Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing
and benefits those who see the sun.

Wisdom is a shelter
as money is a shelter,
but the advantage of knowledge is this:
Wisdom preserves those who have it.

Enjoy Youth Until Pleasure Escapes

You who are young, be happy while you are young,
and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth.
Follow the ways of your heart
and whatever your eyes see,
but know that for all these things
God will bring you into judgment.


Remember your Creator
in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble come
and the years approach when you will say,
“I find no pleasure in them”—