ECCLESIASTES 2

WORK, PLAY, AND WISDOM ARE MEANINGLESS

The Teacher describes the pleasures of the earth, including collecting great wealth of silver and gold, owning homes and vineyards, acquiring animals and servants, and having many sexual partners. Of all these things, none were fulfilling. Everything was in vanity and nothing of lasting importance, gone like a vapor in the wind. 

After chasing pleasure, the Teacher pursues wisdom. But he realizes chasing after knowledge and understanding is another fleeting endeavor. The wise person doesn’t always end up ahead of the fool, sometimes the opposite. And we all have the same fate in the end; death awaits both the wise and the simple. What’s the point? 

The Teacher mourns the unfairness and often random nature of life. Sometimes the hardworking person toils for no reason and the lazy person comes out ahead. How does any of this make sense? Why are we striving for what is fleeting and temporary?