The Book of Ecclesiastes
Prologue
Qoheleth (Eccl 1:1-1:1)
Vanity of vanities (Eccl 1:2-1:3)
Part One
The earth around us (Eccl 1:4-1:7)
What is new? (Eccl 1:8-1:11)
1. The life of Solomon
King of Israel (Eccl 1:12-1:12)
The foolish search (Eccl 1:13-1:14)
The wise Qoheleth (Eccl 1:15-1:18)
The vanity of pleasure (Eccl 2:1-2:3)
Luxurious wealth (Eccl 2:4-2:8)
The vanity of greatness (Eccl 2:9-2:11)
The importance of wisdom (Eccl 2:12-2:14)
The wise ones and the fools both die (Eccl 2:14-2:17)
The vanity of hard work (Eccl 2:18-2:23)
Please God (Eccl 2:24-2:26)
2. Death
The right time (Eccl 3:1-3:8)
The human task (Eccl 3:9-3:11)
Be happy (Eccl 3:12-3:13)
God’s role (Eccl 3:14-3:15)
The wickedness (Eccl 3:16-3:17)
Humans and animals (Eccl 3:18-3:21)
Enjoy your work (Eccl 3:22-3:22)
3. The community
Oppression (Eccl 4:1-4:3)
The futility of work (Eccl 4:4-4:6)
The solitary worker (Eccl 4:7-4:8)
Work together (Eccl 4:9-4:12)
The old foolish king (Eccl 4:13-4:16)
Good conduct at the Temple (Eccl 5:1-5:3)
Vows (Eccl 5:4-5:6)
Dreams (Eccl 5:7-5:7)
Oppression (Eccl 5:8-5:9)
4. Money
The vanity of money (Eccl 5:10-5:11)
Sleep (Eccl 5:12-5:12)
Lost wealth (Eccl 5:13-5:17)
Enjoy your wealth (Eccl 5:18-5:20)
The inability to enjoy a wealthy life (Eccl 6:1-6:6)
The appetites of humans (Eccl 6:7-6:9)
Humans as passing shadows (Eccl 6:10-6:12)
Part Two
Prologue
The dichotomies of life (Eccl 7:1-7:7)
1. The sanctions
Pass on wisdom (Eccl 7:8-7:12)
Prosperity and adversity (Eccl 7:13-7:14)
Don’t be too wise or too wicked (Eccl 7:15-7:18)
Know your heart (Eccl 7:19-7:22)
The search for wisdom (Eccl 7:23-7:25)
Watch out for women (Eccl 7:26-7:29)
Who is the wise man? (Eccl 8:1-8:1)
The power of the king (Eccl 8:2-8:5)
The right time (Eccl 8:6-8:9)
The wicked (Eccl 8:10-8:14)
Enjoy yourself (Eccl 8:15-8:15)
2. Love
The hidden work of God (Eccl 8:16-8:17)
We do not know love (Eccl 9:1-9:1)
We all share the same fate (Eccl 9:2-9:6)
Enjoy life (Eccl 9:7-9:10)
3. Chance
Life is a game of chance (Eccl 9:11-9:12)
Wisdom versus strength (Eccl 9:13-9:16)
Quiet wise words (Eccl 9:17-9:18)
The fools (Eccl 10:1-10:3)
Upside down world (Eccl 10:4-10:7)
Be careful in what you do (Eccl 10:8-10:11)
Words of the foolish (Eccl 10:12-10:15)
The land and its ruler (Eccl 10:16-10:17)
Be careful about what you say (Eccl 10:18-10:20)
The uncertainty of life (Eccl 11:1-11:3)
Planting seeds (Eccl 11:4-11:6)
4. Age
Light (Eccl 11:7-11:8)
Happy youth (Eccl 11:9-11:10)
Loss of the light (Eccl 12:1-12:2)
The impending death of old age (Eccl 12:3-12:7)
Vanity (Eccl 12:8-12:8)
Epilogue
Qoheleth (Eccl 12:9-12:10)
Wise sayings (Eccl 12:11-12:12)
Fear God (Eccl 12:13-12:14)
