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'''Ecclesiastes''' is the twenty-first book of the [[Protestantism|Protestant]] [[Bible]]. It is classified, with [[Job]], [[Psalms]], [[Proverbs]], and the [[Song of Solomon]], as part of the "wisdom literature." It is particularly admired as a model of clear and eloquent prose.  

'''Ecclesiastes''' is the twenty-first book of the [[Protestantism|Protestant]] [[Bible]]. It is classified, with [[Job]], [[Psalms]], [[Proverbs]], and the [[Song of Solomon]], as part of the "wisdom literature." It is particularly admired as a model of clear and eloquent prose.  

Many phrases and passages in it are famous: "to eat, and to drink, and to be merry," "there is no new thing under the sun," "the [[race]] is not to the swift." The title of [[Marcel Proust|Proust]]'s novel ''Remembrance of Things Past,'' [[Ernest Hemingway|Hemingway]]'s "The Sun Also Rises," and [[George Stewart]]'s ''Earth Abides,'' are all phrases from Ecclesiastes. Folksinger [[Pete Singer]] made a passage from it into the song "Turn, Turn, Turn" which, when recorded by The Byrds, was a #1 hit in the United States in 1965.

Many phrases and passages in it are famous: "to eat, and to drink, and to be merry," "there is no new thing under the sun," "the race is not to the swift." The titles of [[Ernest Hemingway]]'s ''The Sun Also Rises'', [[Edith Wharton]]'s ''The House of Mirth'', and [[George Stewart]]'s ''Earth Abides'' are all phrases from Ecclesiastes. Folksinger [[Pete Seeger]] made a passage from it into the song "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)" which, when recorded by The Byrds, was a #1 hit in the United States in 1965.

The word "Ecclesiastes" is derived from a Greek word meaning "gathering" or "congregation," from which come the words "Ecclesiastical" (relating to the Church) and the Spanish word ''Iglesia'' (church). It means one who speaks to a congregation, i.e. a preacher, and it opens "The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem." That is, the book is by tradition ascribed to King Solomon.

The word "Ecclesiastes" is derived from a Greek word meaning "gathering" or "congregation," from which come the words "ecclesiastical" (relating to the Church) and the Spanish word ''iglesia'' (church). It means one who speaks to a congregation, i.e., a preacher, and it opens "The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem"; therefore the book is by tradition ascribed to King Solomon.

The speaker begins "Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity." (Ecc 1: 2) Here, ''vanity'' means "empty" or "useless" or "in vain." The speaker says that everything that can be accomplished by human effort is empty, fleeting, and repetitious: "Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us." (Ecc 1: 10) "I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit." (Ecc 1: 14)

The speaker begins "Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity." (Ecc 1:2) Here, ''vanity'' means "empty" or "useless" or "in vain." The speaker says that everything that can be accomplished by human effort is empty, fleeting, and repetitious: "Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us." (Ecc 1:10) "I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit." (Ecc 1:14)

He denies that there is an afterlife, or even life in the memory of others: "For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.  Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun."

He denies that there is an afterlife, or even life in the memory of others: "For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.  Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun."

Consequently, he advises living in the moment: "Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry." (Ecc 8: 15) He praises life, saying "a living dog is better than a dead lion." (Ecc 9: 4)

Consequently, he advises living in the moment: "Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry." (Ecc 8:15) He praises life, saying "a living dog is better than a dead lion." (Ecc 9:4)

He believes prayer is not answered:

He believes prayer is not answered:

:I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour<!--The King James translation uses the British spelling---> to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

:I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour<!--The King James translation uses the British spelling---> to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

[[George Orwell]], in his essay on ''Politics and the English Language,'' contrasted the beautiful language of the Bible with the way he says the same thing might be expressed today in "modern English:"

[[George Orwell]], in his essay ''Politics and the English Language'', contrasted the beautiful language of the Bible with the way he says the same thing might be expressed today in "modern English":

:Objective considerations of contemporary phenomena compel the conclusion that success or failure in competitive activities exhibits no tendency to be commensurate with innate capacity, but that a considerable element of the unpredictable must invariably be taken into account.

:Objective considerations of contemporary phenomena compel the conclusion that success or failure in competitive activities exhibits no tendency to be commensurate with innate capacity, but that a considerable element of the unpredictable must invariably be taken into account.