“Qoheleth” no longer speaks as “king.” The epilogue in 12:9–14* designates him as a “wise man” (12:9*) and places his book on the level of the “sayings of wise men” (12:11*). Moreover, in the continued reading of the book of Qoheleth, the identification of “Qoheleth” as “king (Solomon)” reveals itself more and more clearly as a fictive travesty. Moreover, what “Qoheleth” says as a “wise” man in chapters 3–12 contradicts in part his statements as “king” in 1:12–2:26*. The “subtle playing with