The Meaning of Life

A summary of Ecclesiastes, written by King Solomon, the wisest man of all time, reflecting upon man, the world and life’s meaning. 


What benefit do people get from all the effort which they exert on earth? Of all that has ever been accomplished, what has been truly worthwhile? So I decided to look at all options and discern for myself what was worth pursuing in life, in the limited years man has on this world. 


Should I seek wisdom and knowledge? Should I pursue self-indulgent pleasure or material wealth? 


I realize that wisdom is preferable to folly, but just as one dead fly in perfume ointment gives off of a rancid stench, so a little folly can outweigh much wisdom. I have come to understand that pursuing carnal pleasure or possessions is ultimately folly. 


If an iron ax head is blunt, and a workman does not sharpen its edge. He must exert a great deal of effort; so wisdom has the advantage of giving success. For wisdom provides protection, just as money provides protection, but the advantage of knowledge is this: wisdom preserves the life of its owner. So I concluded that wisdom is better than strength, but a poor man’s wisdom is despised; no one ever listens to his advice. 


Wealth is respected and money is the answer for everything. Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobility, and your princes feast at the proper time - with self-control and not in drunkenness!


Work hard and diligently. Because of laziness, the roof caves in and because of idle hands the house leaks. He who watches the wind will not sow, and he who observes the clouds will not reap. Sow your seed in the morning and do not stop working until the evening; for you do not know which activity will succeed whether this one or that one or whether both will prosper equally. Divide your earnings among seven or even eight investments to increase your wealth.


Yet as prosperity increased, I realized that whatever skills I acquire are just a competition with other people. However hard I work to obtain wealth, I must leave it behind in the hands of my successor. For death is the destiny of every person, and the living should take this to heart. 


The wealth of the rich will not allow them to sleep. The one who loves money will never be satisfied with the wealth he acquires. And when a person‘s prosperity increases, so does the number of people who consume it. All of Man’s labor is for nothing more than to fill his stomach yet his appetite is never satisfied.


The hearts of all people are full of evil. There is not one truly righteous person on the Earth. I have found only one upright man among 1000, and it is even more rare to find an upright woman. Be warned: more bitter than death is the kind of woman who is like a hunter's snare. 


I have discovered that God made mankind upright, but they have so many evil schemes. Sometimes one person dominates other people to their harm. So justice must be swift! When a sentence is not executed at once against a crime, the human heart is encouraged even more toward evil. 


Do not pay attention to everything that people say; otherwise you might even hear your servant, cursing you. Instead, watch yourself and your own actions. Do not let yourself be quickly provoked. Do not curse a king even in your thoughts. If the anger of the ruler flares up against you do not resign from your position, for a calm response can undo great offenses. The more one argues with words the less he accomplishes. How does that benefit him? Remember that every high official is watched by an even Higher Official. So when you make a vow to God, do not delay in paying it. It is better for you not to vow than to vow and not pay it. 


Banish emotional stress from your mind and put away pain from your body. Do not be proud and think you know life’s outcomes. Do not be excessively righteous or excessively wise because you might become disappointed in yourself. The end of a matter is better than its beginning; likewise patience is better than pride, but do not say “why were the old days better than these days?“


Sorrow is better than laughter, because we learn from hardship. Life is hard. Some People are oppressed by others, and some people have no one to share life with. Some people toil to get twice as much when they would be better to get some rest and acquire half as much. 


So what advantage does a wise man have over a fool? It is better to be content with what the eyes can see than for one’s heart to always crave more.


To every man God has given wealth and possessions. He has also given him the ability to eat from them to receive his reward and to find enjoyment in his toil. When occupied with work, he does not think much about the fleeting days of his life because God keeps him preoccupied with the joy he derives from his activity.


Ultimately, there is nothing better for mankind than to eat and drink and find enjoyment in their work. And this ability to find enjoyment comes from God. So enjoy life in the present.


Follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes, but know that God will judge your motives and actions. Prosperity does not always belong to those who are the wisest. Wealth does not always belong to those who are the most discerning, nor does success always come to those with the most knowledge, for time and chance may overcome them all. Surely oppression can turn a wise person into a fool. I concluded that the righteous and the wise, as well as their works, are in the hand of God; whether a person will be loved or hated.


So I recommend the enjoyment of life, for there is nothing better on earth for a person to do except to eat, drink and enjoy life. Whoever is among the living has hope. Enjoy life with your beloved wife during all the days of your fleeting life that God has given you on earth during all your fleeting days; that is your reward in life and in your burdensome work on earth. Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might.


So remember your Creator and the days of your youth before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; before the sun and the light of the moon and the stars grow dark. 


There is no end to the making of many books, and much study is exhausting to the body. Having heard everything, I reached this conclusion: fear God, and keep his commandments because this is the whole duty of man. For God will evaluate every deed, including every secret thing, whether they’re good or evil.



Reference

Verses 

  • 1:3, 13, 17, 
  • 2: 1, 4, 13, 18, 24, 
  • 3: 12-13, 
  • 4: 1, 4, 6-7, 
  • 5:4-5, 8, 10-12, 18-20, 
  • 6: 7-9, 11, 
  • 7: 2-3, 7: 7-10, 12, 16, 20-21, 26, 28-29, 
  • 8: 9, 11, 15, 
  • 9:1, 3, 4, 9-11, 16, 
  • 10:1, 4, 10, 17-20, 
  • 11: 2, 4, 6, 9-10, 
  • 12:1-2, 12-14

NET Version

  • What benefit do people get from all the effort which they expect on earth?
  • All that has been accomplished on earth.
  • So I decided to discern the benefit of wisdom and knowledge.
  • And I thought to myself come now I will try self indulgent pleasure.
  • I increased my possessions.
  • I realize that wisdom is preferable to Folly. 
  • So I loath all the fruit of my effort for which I worked so hard on earth because I must leave it behind in the hands of my successor.
  • There is nothing better for people than to eat and drink and find them enjoyment in their work. I also perceived that this ability to find enjoyment comes from God.
  • Enjoy life in the present. I’ve concluded there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to enjoy themselves as long as they live, and also that everyone should eat and drink and find enjoyment and all his toil for these things are a gift from God.
  • The oppressed were in tears that no one was comforting them; no one delivers them from the power of their oppressors.
  • Then I considered all the skillful work that is done. Surely it is nothing more than competition between one person and another. 
  • Better is one handful with some rest than two hands full of toil and chasing the wind. So I again considered another futile thing on earth; a man who is all alone with no companion. 
  • When you make a vow to God, do not delay in paying it. 
  • It is better for you not to vow than to vow and not pay it. 
  • If you see the extortion of the poor or the perversion of justice and fairness in the government, do not be astonished by the matter. For the high official is watched by a higher official. 
  • The one who loves money will never be satisfied with money; he who loves wealth will never be satisfied with his income. When a person‘s prosperity increases those who consume it also increase.
  • The wealth of the rich will not allow him to sleep. 
  • I have seen personally what is the only beneficial and appropriate course of action for people: to eat and drink and find enjoyment and all their hard work on earth. 
  • To every man and God has given wealth and possessions. He has also given him the ability to eat from them to receive his reward and to find enjoyment in his toil. 
  • For he does not think much about the fleeting days of his life because God keeps him preoccupied with the joy he derives from his activity. 
  • All of Man’s labor is for nothing more than to fill his stomach yet his appetite is never satisfied! So what advantage does a wise man have over a fool? 
  • It is better to be content with what the eyes can see than for one’s heart always to crave more.
  • The more one argues with words the less he accomplishes. How does that benefit him? 
  • For death is the destiny of every person and the living should take this to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, because sober reflection is good for the heart. 
  • Surely oppression can turn a wise person into a fool… The end of a matter is better than it’s beginning; likewise patience is better than pride. Do not let yourself be quickly provoked. Do not say “why were the old days better than these days? “
  • For wisdom provide provides protection, just as money provides protection, but the advantage of knowledge is this: wisdom preserves the life of its owner.
  • So do not be excessively, righteous or excessively wise otherwise you might be disappointed. 
  • There is not one truly righteous person on the Earth… Do not pay attention to everything that people say; otherwise you might even hear your servant, cursing you. 
  • More bitter than death is the kind of woman who is like a hunter's snare
  • I have found only one upright man among 1000, but I have not found one upright woman among all of them this alone I have discovered: God made humankind upright, but they have so many evil schemes .
  • Sometimes one person dominates other people to their harm .
  • When a sentence is not executed at once against a crime, the human heart is encouraged to do evil.
  • So I recommend the enjoyment of life, for there is nothing better on earth for a person to do except to eat drink and enjoy life 
  • I concluded that the righteous and the wise, as well as their works, are in the hand of God; whether a person will be loved or hated 
  • The hearts of all people are full of evil. 
  • That whoever is among the living has hope 
  • Enjoy life with your beloved wife during all the days of your fleeting life that God has given you on earth during all your fleeting days; that is your reward in life and in your burdensome work on earth. Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might.
  • Prosperity does not always belong to those who are the wisest, wealth does not always belong to those who are the most discerning, nor does success always come to those with the most knowledge, for time and chance may overcome them all. 
  • So I concluded that wisdom is better than strength, but a poor man’s wisdom is despised; no one ever listens to his advice. 
  • One dead fly makes perfume ointment give off of rancid stench, so a little folly can outweigh much wisdom.
  • If the anger of the ruler, flares up against you, do not resign from your position, for a calm response can undo great offenses.
  • If an iron ax head is blunt, and a workman does not sharpen its edge. He must exert a great deal of effort; so wisdom has the advantage of giving success.
  • Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobility, and your prince‘s feast at the proper time - with self-control and not in drunkenness. Because of laziness, the roof caves in and because of idle hands the house leaks.
  • But money is the answer for everything do not curse a king even in your thoughts .
  • Divide your merchandise among seven or even eight investments.
  • He who watches the wind will not sow, and he who observes the clouds will not reap. 
  • Sow your seed in the morning and do not stop working until the evening; for you do not know which activity will succeed whether this one or that one or whether both will prosper equally .
  • Follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes, but know that God will judge your motives and actions. Banish emotional stress from your mind and put away pain from your body. 
  • So remember your creator and the days of your youth before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you will say, I have no pleasure in them; before the sun and the light of the moon and the stars grow dark. 
  • There is no end to the making of many books, and much study is exhausting to the body. Having heard everything, I reached this conclusion: fear God, and keep his commandments because this is the whole duty of man. For God will evaluate every deed, including every secret thing, whether they’re good or evil.

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