Ecclesiastes 1:2
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- “Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher, “futility of futilities! Everything is futile!”
- KJV
- Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
- WEB
- “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
- ASV
- Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity.
- DARBY
- Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities! all is vanity.
- BLB
- “Vapor of vapors,” says Qoheleth, “Vapor of vapors—the whole [of it] [is] vapor!”
- ÅB
- Bare tomhet, sier predikeren, bare idelig tomhet! Alt er tomhet.
- OTB
- "Forgjeves, forgjeves," sier Forkynneren, "forgjeves! Alt er meningsløst."
- B1930
- Bare tomhet, sier predikeren, bare idelig tomhet! Alt er tomhet.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Psalms 144:4
Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away.
Read in contextRomans 8:20
For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Read in contextEcclesiastes 5:10
He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.
Read in contextPsalms 39:5–6
Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.
Read in contextEcclesiastes 12:8
Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.
Read in contextEcclesiastes 2:26
For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
Read in contextEcclesiastes 2:17
Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
Read in contextEcclesiastes 2:11
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.
Read in context