The wise have eyes while the fool walks in darkness, but they both will die andbe forgotten. So, the Teacher hated life because all his work was meaningless.
- P73
A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction intheir own toil. This is from the hand of God. - P73
To the person who pleases Him,
God gives wisdom, knowledge, and happiness. - P73
Having surveyed the many pleasures the world has to offer, the Teachernow considers the benefits of wisdom compared to the appeal of folly.
- P74
He finds that it is far better to be wise, as fools stumble through life asthough they are blindfolded. But then he finds himself questioning thepurpose of being wise if both the wise and the fool will come to thesame fate. - P74
A well-educated, disciplined person
may have a happier lifethan an ignorant spendthrift, but they both return to dust in the end.
- P74
So, is there any type of wisdom that is worth pursuing? For Christians,
the answer is yes! If we pursueChrist, who is the wisdom of God, wewill gain blessings that will last into eternity. - P74
Hard work, innovation, and all the money and possessions we gainfrom our toil will eventually slip from our fingers when we die, and ev-erything we have gained will be handed over to someone who could loseit all in a few foolish moments. - P74
Therefore, the Teacher concludes thatonly God can provide relief from the stress and pain of endless labor.
- P74
The ability to enjoy the work that we do is a gift from God. - P74
Our workbecomes meaningless if we toil day and night simply to make a namefor ourselves and build our own kingdom. - P74
But if we seek God in ourwork and do it to please Him, we will enjoy the blessings of wisdom, knowledge, and happiness. - P74
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