Work is a Chasing After Wind (1:12-6:9)

            Having declared his theme that toil is vanity in Eccl. 1:1-11, the Teacher nonetheless proceeds to explore various possibilities for trying to live life well. He considers, in order, achievement, pleasure, wisdom, wealth, timing, friendship and finding joy in God’s gifts. In some of these he does find a certain value, less in the earlier explorations and more in the latter. Yet nothing seems permanent, and the characteristic conclusion in each section is that work comes to “a chasing after wind.”