"The German manuscript of the present commentary was completed in October 1999. Literature on the book of Qoheleth that appeared later could not be considered in the commentary, but it has been added to the bibliography"--Page ix.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 217-272) and indexes.

Introduction -- Themes -- Structure -- Genres -- Tensions and contradictions -- Origin and historical context -- History of influence and reception -- Language -- Text -- Commentary -- 1:1 Title -- 1:2 Motto -- 1:3-4:12 The king and the wise man -- 1:3-11 Prelude: Is there any gain with regard to eternity? -- 1:12-2:26 Reflections of King Qoheleth: The devaluation of happiness not at one's disposal -- 3:1-9 Interlude: Is there any gain with regard to time? -- 3:10-4:12 Reflections of the wise man Qoheleth: Happiness as the highest good in not at our disposal -- 4:13-5:8 [5:9] The king and the deity -- 4:13-16 Critique of expecting too much from a king -- 4:17-5:6 [5:1-7] Exhortation to the proper attitude before the deity -- 5:7-8 [8-9] Critique of expecting too much from a king -- 5:9[10]-6:9 Poverty and wealth -- 5:9-11[10-12] Proverbs -- 5:12-16[13-17] Negative cases -- 5:17-19[18-20] Positive cases -- 6:1-6 Negative cases -- 6:7-9 Proverbs -- 6:10-8:17 Critical discussion of conventional wisdom -- 6:10-12 Human limitations -- 7:1-14 Critique of wise advice -- 7:15-22 Limits of righteousness and wisdom -- 7:23-29 Limits of wisdom -- 8:1-9 Knowledge and power -- 8:10-15 The righteous and the wicked -- 8:16-17 Limits of wisdom -- 9:1-12:7 Life in view of chance and transitoriness -- 9:1-12 Exhortation to pleasure and vigorous action in view of death and chance -- 9:13-10:20 Strengths and weaknesses of wisdom -- 11:1-12:7 Advice for life in view of the uncertainty of the future and the certainty of death -- 12:8 Motto -- 12:9-14 Epilogue.

The fact that the book, at least at first glance, reveals no clear organization and no overall progression of ideas may be accepted as a literary peculiarity and perhaps even strike one as interesting. Yet when one finds on various themes many statements that are highly contradictory in both the broad and the narrow context, one begins to ask what could be the point of this book and what is the purpose expressed in it. The present commentary seeks to help answer these questions. - p. 1.