Though not explicitly stated, Ecclesiastes has traditionally been attributed to Solomon. The author describes a life without God using the phrase “under the sun” to describe a life that is only about what is experienced day to day. Everything in nature and in life is an exhausting cycle; the pursuit of wisdom is useless; wealth and pleasure do not satisfy; and the fate of both the wise and the fool is the same. The author can almost be heard sighing and saying, “Why bother?”
These chapters are either very depressing or very reassuring, depending on your view of what exists outside of the here and now. For those trying to find ultimate fulfillment in this life, these words are depressing. For those who believe ultimate fulfillment is found in God, these words confirm what they already know about life.