Part of knowing the Bible’s meaning is understanding the writer’s intent.

Solomon is frustrated over his own wasted potential. At the end of his life, as he writes Ecclesiastes, Solomon is tempted to think all life is a waste, not just his own.
In his personal struggles and frustration he gives some terrible advice. (It would be better to never have been born at all. Eat, drink, and be merry for that is all there is. When we die we go into the ground like a beast, there is nothing after.)
But Solomon was granted divine wisdom and so throughout the book beneficial wisdom is dispensed. Wisdom profitable for this life, but not necessarily nurturing to the soul. And of course, like his father, Solomon often reminds us of the importance of giving all things to God.

15+ passages

3:1 ff Timing is everything
4:9-12 Two is better than one
6:9 A bird in the hand…
7:10 Don’t be pining for the ‘good ole’ days’
9:4 living dog is better than a dead lion (Betty syndrome)
9:9 Love life with your wife
10:8-9 The only way to be safe is to do nothing
11:1-2 Be generous, it will come back to you
11:4 Just do it

So, like many proverbs, Solomon’s pearls of wisdom cannot be considered absolute formulas for God’s blessing, but truly helpful in our day to day lives. These are mixed in with hopeless rants, and God-honoring truths. How do we know which is which??

1. God has given us a brain, let’s use it.
Study hard and find out what you need to know.
Proper study of the Bible involves: Language, contexts, historical background, cultural background, cross-reference, scholarship

Life is hard, but God is good (He proves that by giving His perfect Word to help us through).

2. All Truth is God’s truth (Scripture is the ruler by which all is measured)
There is solid truth in mathematics. There is truth coming from the mouths of non-believers.

God has given us three major tools to navigate through these difficult times: 1. The Holy Spirit
Gal 5:22-25. 2. Scripture Psalm 119:05 3. Intellect Gen 28:15