The Book of Qoheleth, also known as Ecclesiastes, deals with happiness and misfortune. The wise man observes that the human condition is made up of many "crooked things" that will remain so, and many deficiencies that will remain impossible to fill. He himself is often reduced to contemplating, without being able to remedy, the evils that doom human endeavors to failure and prevent us from attaining truly satisfying happiness. The question of "why" evil and misery arises irresistibly. While the unbeliever might say, "If God existed, there wouldn't be so much evil on earth," Qoheleth, on the contrary, persists in discerning divine goodness in the share of happiness that humankind receives. It is God who brings days of happiness and days of misfortune; it is therefore He who, in particular, gives us all the good that life brings us.
This commentary, intended for a general audience, has been designed to be as accessible as possible, but it does not shy away from technical questions necessary for understanding the text. The Book of Ecclesiastes aims to teach wisdom for living. Its message, directly connected to the concrete realities of existence, naturally leads to numerous applications.