Kohelet

Kohelet is the Hebrew title for the biblical book known in English as Ecclesiastes. It is part of the Ketuvim (Writings) in the Hebrew Bible. The speaker of the book identifies himself as Kohelet, commonly translated as “the Preacher” or “the Compeller,” and as a son of David who was king in Jerusalem. Modern scholarship generally places the work in the late Second Temple period, often dated to the 3rd or 2nd century BCE, with authorship traditionally attributed to Solomon in the opening verse. The exact date and authorship remain widely debated.

The central theme of Kohelet is the search for meaning in life and the limits of human wisdom, wealth, and labor. It repeatedly questions whether with all toil and knowledge one can achieve lasting significance, often concluding that much is transitory. The book is famous for the refrain “vanity of vanities, all is vanity” (Hebrew: hevel havalim), signaling its skeptical stance toward worldly pursuits. It explores time, nature, mortality, and the human condition, while also recognizing moments of joy and the value of moderation, restraint, and prudent living. The concluding message emphasizes the fear of God and keeping commandments as the appropriate response to life’s uncertainties.

Form and style combine prose and poetry, including reflective discourses, paradox, and memorable maxims. Notable sections address the cycles of life and the paradoxes of wisdom and folly, culminating in an exhortation to remember God in all aspects of life.

Kohelet is canonically included in Judaism and in Christian Bibles as part of wisdom literature, and it has had a lasting influence on theology, philosophy, and literature.