Ecclesiastes 1:2
New International Version
“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”

New Living Translation
“Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!”

English Standard Version
Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.

Berean Standard Bible
“Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher, “futility of futilities! Everything is futile!”

King James Bible
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

New King James Version
“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”

New American Standard Bible
“Futility of futilities,” says the Preacher, “Futility of futilities! All is futility.”

NASB 1995
“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.”

NASB 1977
“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.”

Legacy Standard Bible
“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.”

Amplified Bible
“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher. “Vanity of vanities! All [that is done without God’s guidance] is vanity [futile, meaningless—a wisp of smoke, a vapor that vanishes, merely chasing the wind].”

Christian Standard Bible
“Absolute futility,” says the Teacher. “Absolute futility. Everything is futile.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Absolute futility,” says the Teacher.” Absolute futility. Everything is futile.”

American Standard Version
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Futility of futilities, says the Preacher; futility of futilities, everything is futility!

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

Contemporary English Version
Nothing makes sense! Everything is nonsense. I have seen it all--nothing makes sense!

Douay-Rheims Bible
Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes vanity of vanities, and all is vanity.

English Revised Version
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Absolutely pointless!" says the spokesman. "Absolutely pointless! Everything is pointless."

Good News Translation
It is useless, useless, said the Philosopher. Life is useless, all useless.

International Standard Version
"Utterly pointless," says the Teacher. "Absolutely pointless; everything is pointless."

JPS Tanakh 1917
Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth; Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.

Literal Standard Version
Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, vanity of vanities: the whole [is] vanity.

Majority Standard Bible
“Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher, “futility of futilities! Everything is futile!”

New American Bible
Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, vanity of vanities! All things are vanity!

NET Bible
"Futile! Futile!" laments the Teacher, "Absolutely futile! Everything is futile!"

New Revised Standard Version
Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.

New Heart English Bible
"Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher; "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity."

Webster's Bible Translation
Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

World English Bible
“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”

Young's Literal Translation
Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, Vanity of vanities: the whole is vanity.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Everything is Futile
1These are the words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem: 2“Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher, “futility of futilities! Everything is futile!” 3What does a man gain from all his labor, at which he toils under the sun?…

Cross References
Romans 8:20
For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, in hope

Job 11:12
But a witless man can no more become wise than the colt of a wild donkey can be born a man!

Psalm 39:5
You, indeed, have made my days as handbreadths, and my lifetime as nothing before You. Truly each man at his best exists as but a breath. Selah

Psalm 39:6
Surely every man goes about like a phantom; surely he bustles in vain; he heaps up riches not knowing who will haul them away.

Psalm 62:9
Lowborn men are but a vapor, the exalted but a lie. Weighed on the scale, they go up; together they are but a vapor.

Psalm 89:47
Remember the briefness of my lifespan! For what futility You have created all men!

Psalm 144:4
Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.


Treasury of Scripture

Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 2:11,15,17,19,21,23,26
Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun…

Ecclesiastes 3:19
For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 4:4,8,16
Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit…

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Koheleth Meaningless Preacher Purpose Teacher Utterly Vanities Vanity Ways Whole
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Koheleth Meaningless Preacher Purpose Teacher Utterly Vanities Vanity Ways Whole
Ecclesiastes 1
1. the preacher shows that all human courses are vain
4. because the creatures are restless in their courses
9. they bring forth nothing new, and all old things are forgotten
12. and because he has found it so in the studies of wisdom














(2) Vanity of vanities.--This verse strikes the key-note of the whole work. In using this expression we mean to indicate the opinion that the unity of the book is rather that of a musical composition than of a philosophical treatise. A leading theme is given out and followed for a time. Episodes are introduced, not perhaps logically connected with the original subject, but treated in harmony with it, and leading back to the original theme which is never lost sight of, and with which the composition comes to a close (Ecclesiastes 12:8).

The word translated "vanity" (which occurs thirty-seven times in this book, and only thirty-three times in all the rest of the Old Testament) in its primary meaning denotes breath or vapour, and is so translated here in some of the Greek versions (comp. James 4:4); so in Isaiah 57:13. It is the same word as the proper name Abel, on which see Note on Genesis 4:2. It is frequently applied in Scripture to the follies of heathenism (Jeremiah 14:22, &c), and also to the whole estate of men (Psalm 39:5-6; Psalm 62:9; Psalm 144:4). The translation "vanity" is that of the LXX. We may reasonably believe that St. Paul (Romans 8:20) had this key-note of Ecclesiastes in his mind. . . .

Verses 2-11. - PROLOGUE. The vanity of all human and mundane things, and the oppressive monotony of their continued recurrence. Verse 2. - Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity (comp. Ecclesiastes 12:8). "Vanity" is hebel, which means "breath," and is used metaphorically of anything transitory, frail, unsatisfying. We have it in the proper name Abel, an appropriate designation of the youth whose life was cut short by a brother's murderous hand. "Vanity of vanities," like "heaven of heavens" (1 Kings 8:27), "song of songs" (Song of Solomon 1:1), etc., is equivalent to a superlative, "most utterly vain." It is here an exclamation, and is to be regarded as the key-note of the whole subsequent treatise, which is merely the development of this text. Septuagint, ματαιότης ματαιοτήτων; other Greek translators, ἀτμὶς ἀτμίδων, "vapor of vapors." For "saith" the Vulgate gives dixit; the Septuagint, εϊπεν; but as there is no reference to any previous utterance of the Preacher, the present is more suitable here. In affirming that "all is vanity," the writer is referring to human and mundane things, and directs not his view beyond such phenomena. Such reflection is common in sacred and profane writings alike; such experience is universal (comp. Genesis 47:9; Psalm 39:5-7; Psalm 90:3-10; James 3:14). "Pulvis et umbra sumus," says Horace ('Carm.,' 4:7. 16. "O curas hominum! O quantum est in rebus inane!" (Persius, 'Sat.,' 1:1). If Dean Plumptre is correct in contending that the Book of Wisdom was written to rectify the deductions which might be drawn from Koheleth, we may contrast the caution of the apocryphal writer, who predicates vanity, not of all things, but only of the hope of the ungodly, which he likens to dust, froth, and smoke (see Wisd. 2:1, etc.; 5:14). St. Paul (Romans 8:20) seems to have had Ecclesiastes in mind when he spoke of the creation being subjected to vanity (τῇ ματαιότητι), as a consequence of the fall of man, not to be remedied till the final restitution of all things. "But a man will say, If all things are vain and vanity, wherefore were they made? If they are God's works, how are they vain? But it is not the works of God which he calls vain. God forbid! The heaven is not vain; the earth is not vain: God forbid! Nor the sun, nor the moon, nor the stars, nor our own body. No; all these are very good. But what is vain? Man's works, pomp, and vain-glory. These came not from the hand of God, but are of our own creating. And they are vain because they have no useful end That is called vain which is expected indeed to possess value, yet possesses it not; that which men call empty, as when they speak of 'empty hopes,' and that which is fruitless. And generally that is called vain which is of no use. Let us see, then, whether all human things are not of this sort" (St. Chrysostom, 'Hem. 12. in Ephes.').

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“Futility
הֲבֵ֤ל (hă·ḇêl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1892: Emptiness, vanity, transitory, unsatisfactory

of futilities,”
הֲבָלִים֙ (hă·ḇā·lîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1892: Emptiness, vanity, transitory, unsatisfactory

says
אָמַ֣ר (’ā·mar)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

the Teacher,
קֹהֶ֔לֶת (qō·he·leṯ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6953: Preacher -- 'a collector (of sentences)', 'a preacher', a son of David

“futility
הֲבֵ֥ל (hă·ḇêl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1892: Emptiness, vanity, transitory, unsatisfactory

of futilities!
הֲבָלִ֖ים (hă·ḇā·lîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1892: Emptiness, vanity, transitory, unsatisfactory

Everything
הַכֹּ֥ל (hak·kōl)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

is futile!”
הָֽבֶל׃ (hā·ḇel)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1892: Emptiness, vanity, transitory, unsatisfactory


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OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 1:2 Vanity of vanities says the Preacher (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.)
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