1. Preliminary, polemical, nondefinitive postscript -- My purpose in this book -- The ultimate paradox: Another book on Ecclesiastes -- Presuppositions in studies of Ecclesiastes -- Critical agreement and pseudonymity in Ecclesiastes -- Wisdom and poetry -- Philosophy, truth, and reality in Qohelet -- Qohelet as ritual incantation -- Structure in Qohelet -- Contradiction as an essential principle of Qohelet -- Qohelet and the Feast of Sukkot 2. Themes of vanity: Vapor, smoke, unsubstantiality, fragility, and evanescence -- The first word -- The myth of progress -- Meditation -- Power -- Money -- Work -- Happiness -- The good -- Human answers -- Conclusion 3. Wisdom and philosophy -- Wisdom: What is it? -- Irony -- Fragility and impossibility -- Science -- The wisdom of small things -- Finiteness and the future -- Finiteness and death -- Tests for wisdom: Applications and examples -- The word -- Possessions -- Women and men -- Conclusion -- Epilogue 4. God -- Elohim -- Contradiction -- The God who gives -- God's gifts: Quest and desire for eternity -- God's gift of enjoyment -- God as Judge -- Approaching God -- Qohelet's crowning words. Published in: Grand Rapids, Mich Physical description: viii, 306 pages ; 22 cm

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