The preacher in his search for understanding in life grows very cynical through what he observes. He believes the righteous are in the hand of God (v1), but the same events happen to the righteous and wicked (v2). The fact that the preacher sees the same things happening to the righteous and wicked as an evil thing (v3). They experience the same thing in life and they all go to death.

Death is a big factor in the preacher’s thinking, and he sees death in a very hopeless way, so that the living are always in a better position than the dead (v4-6). This is a world view which is around us, but very different from the perspective of faith found in Jesus (see Philippians 1 v21-23).

The preacher encourages people to put their all into life, whether it be enjoying the good things or working hard (v7-10). He has come around to understand that life is important and to be valued.

In life the preacher highlights how wisdom is to be valued more than such things as speed, strength and weapons (v11-18). We live in a world that often vales the high and mighty over the wise, but wisdom is still superior.