Ecclesiastes

The Book of Ecclesiastes as a chiasm

David A. Dorsey, The Literary Structure of the Old Testament

1. title
   author mentioned in third-person1:1
2. a
   poem about the brevity and insignificance of life1:2–11
3. b
   wisdom's failure to discover life's meaning1:12–2:26
4. c
   wisdom about time3:1–15
5. d
   CENTER: fear God!3:16–6:12
6. c′
   wisdom about time revisited7:1–14
7. b′
   wisdom's failure revisited7:15–10:19
8. a′
   poem about life's brevity revisited10:20–12:8
9. conclusion
   author mentioned in third-person12:9–14