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It seems so wrong that everyone under the sun suffers the same fate. Already twisted by evil, people choose their own mad course, for they have no hope. There is nothing ahead but death anyway. There is hope only for the living. As they say, “It’s better to be a live dog than a dead lion!”....So go ahead. Eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of this! (Ecclesiastes 9:3–4, 7)

This, too, I carefully explored: Even though the actions of godly and wise people are in God’s hands, no one knows whether God will show them favour. The same destiny ultimately awaits everyone, whether righteous or wicked, good or bad, ceremonially clean or unclean, religious or irreligious. Good people receive the same treatment as sinners, and people who make promises to God are treated like people who don’t. It seems so wrong that everyone under the sun suffers the same fate. (Ecclesiastes 9:1–3)

And this is not all that is meaningless in our world. In this life, good people are often treated as though they were wicked, and wicked people are often treated as though they were good. This is so meaningless! (Ecclesiastes 8:14)

In the latter half of Ecclesiastes 8, Solomon declares the mystery of unfair consequences. The wicked don’t receive the judgment they deserve, and the righteous are treated unfairly. Who hasn’t wrestled with it?

But there’s a third mystery which Solomon also mentions, although it seems to be out of place.

One wise person is stronger than ten leading citizens of a town! Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins. Don’t eavesdrop on others—you may hear your servant curse you. For you know how often you yourself have cursed others. (Ecclesiastes 7:19–22)

Accept the way God does things, for who can straighten what he has made crooked? Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life. (Ecclesiastes 7:13–14)

Solomon doesn’t abruptly stop this section of his journal before extolling two specific and all-important virtues of wisdom. It’s almost as if he hopes to grab the attention of some who may be teetering on the fence of indecision.

Wisdom offers two major benefits:

Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us. A wise person thinks a lot about death, while a fool thinks only about having a good time. (Ecclesiastes 7:3–4)

A good reputation is more valuable than costly perfume. And the day you die is better than the day you are born. Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties. After all, everyone dies—so the living should take this to heart. (Ecclesiastes 7:1–2)

As wisdom begins to return to Solomon, it reveals itself in a series of “comparative proverbs” as the man records specific things that are “better than” their counterparts. Look at Ecclesiastes 7:1. It is not derived from our Western culture.

Everything has already been decided. It was known long ago what each person would be. So there’s no use arguing with God about your destiny. The more words you speak, the less they mean. So what good are they? In the few days of our meaningless lives, who knows how our days can best be spent? Our lives are like a shadow. Who can tell what will happen on this earth after we are gone? (Ecclesiastes 6:10–12)

Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness! The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what good is wealth—except perhaps to watch it slip through your fingers! People who work hard sleep well, whether they eat little or much. But the rich seldom get a good night’s sleep. (Ecclesiastes 5:10–12)

As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God. Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few. (Ecclesiastes 5:1–2)