Where in the Bible

Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes, or Qoheleth, loosely translated as “preacher” or “one who addresses an assembly.” When he wrote the book is not known. He clearly states that when he was writing or speaking the words of the book he was king over Israel; traditional scholars assume it was written shortly before his death in about 930 B.C.

Solomon, blessed with unmatched prosperity and wisdom, allowed his heart to be distracted from God and discovered how unsatisfying these temporal things are if one lives a life without God. Man may only discover happiness by aligning himself with his Creator. It seems that Solomon wrote the book simply to guide others away from making the same mistakes in futility that he made.