| Former half | Relation | Latter half |
| 1 (1:1-11) 1:2 Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth(1:2) | Words of Qoheleth | 17 (12:8-14) 12:8 Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth (12:8) |
| 2 (1:12-18) 1:18 he who stores up knowledge stores up grief.(1:18) | Grief | 16 (11:1-12:7) 11:10 Ward off grief from your heart (11:10) |
| 3 (2:1-11) 2:3 taking up folly, until I should understand what is best for men to do (2:3) | Folly | 15 (9:13-10:20) 10:1 More weighty than wisdom or wealth is a little folly! (10:1) |
| 4 (2:12-26) 2:14 I knew that one lot befalls both of them. (2:14) | Alike | 14 (9:1-12) 9:3 things turn out the same for all (9:3) |
| 5 (3:1-15) 3:1 There is an appointed time for everything (3:1) | An appointed time for everything | 13 (8:1-17) 8:6 for there is a time and a judgment for everything (8:6) |
| 6 (3:16-22) 3:19 For the lot of man and of beast is one lot; the one dies as well as the other. (3:19) | Death | 12 (7:1-29) 7:2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to the house of feasting, For that is the end of every man, and the living should take it to heart. (7:2) |
| 7 (4:1-6) 4:3 And better off than both is the yet unborn, who has not seen the wicked work that is done under the sun. (4:3) | Unborn | 11 (6:1-12) 6:3 of this man I proclaim that the child born dead is more fortunate than he.(6:3) |
| 8 (4:7-14) 4:8 Yet there is no end to all his toil, and riches do not satisfy his greed. (4:8) | Riches | 10 (5:9-20) 5:12 riches kept by their owner to his hurt. (5:12) |
| Former half | Relation | Latter half |
| 1 (1:1-11) 1:11 There is no remembrance of the men of old; nor of those to come will there be any remembrance among those who come after them.(1:11) | Past and future | 9 (4:15-5:8) 4:16 There is no end to all these people, to all over whom he takes precedence; yet the later generations will not applaud him. (4:16) |
| 2 (1:12-18) 1:18 in much wisdom is much vexation, and those who increase knowledge increase sorrow (1:18) | Unrequited | 8 (4:7-14) 4:8 there is no end to all their toil, and their eyes are never satisfied with riches (4:8) |
| 3 (2:1-11) 2:11 But when I turned to all the works that my hands had wrought, and to the toil at which I had taken such pains, (2:11) | Toil | 7 (4:1-6) 4:6 Better is one handful with tranquility than two with toil and a chase after wind! (4:6) |
| 4 (2:12-26) 2:16 How is it that the wise man dies as well as the fool! (2:16) | Death | 6 (3:16-22) 3:19 For the lot of man and of beast is one lot; the one dies as well as the other. (3:19) |
| Former half | Relation | Latter half |
| 9 (4:15-5:8) 5:6 Rather, fear God! (5:7) | Fear God | 17 (12:8-14) 12:13 Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is man's all;(12:13) |
| 10 (5:9-20) 5:14 As he came forth from his mothers womb, so again shall he depart, naked as he came, having nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand. (5:14) | Return to God | 16 (11:1-12:7) 12:7 And the dust returns to the earth as it once was, and the life breath returns to God who gave it. (12:7) |
| 11 (6:1-12) 6:8 For what advantage has the wise man over the fool, or what advantage has the poor man in knowing how to conduct himself in life? (6:8) | The wise and the poor | 15 (9:13-10:20) 9:15 But in the city lived a man who, though poor, was wise, and he delivered it through his wisdom. Yet no one remembered this poor man. (9:15) |
| 12 (7:1-29) 7:2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to the house of feasting, For that is the end of every man, and the living should take it to heart. (7:2) | The living | 14 (9:1-12) 9:4 Indeed, for any among the living there is hope; a live dog is better off than a dead lion. (9:4) |