American Standard Version
Ecclesiastes 12:8
8Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; all is vanity.
Ecclesiastes 12:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.
- New International Version (NIV)“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Everything is meaningless!”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “All is vanity.”
Context of Ecclesiastes 12:8
6before the silver cord is loosed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, 7and the dust returneth to the earth as it was, and the spirit returneth unto God who gave it. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; all is vanity. 9And further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he pondered, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. 10The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written uprightly, even words of truth.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 12Ecclesiastes 12:8 word by word
הֲבֵ֧ל הֲבָלִ֛ים אָמַ֥ר הַקּוֹהֶ֖לֶת הַכֹּ֥ל הָֽבֶל׃Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 12:8
- Ecclesiastes 1:2Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity.
- Ecclesiastes 2:17So I hated life, because the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous unto me; for all is vanity and a striving after wind.
- Ecclesiastes 4:4Then I saw all labor and every skilful work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
- Ecclesiastes 6:12For who knoweth what is good for man in his life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?
- Ecclesiastes 8:8There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power over the day of death; and there is no discharge in war: neither shall wickedness deliver him that is given to it.
- Psalms 62:9Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: In the balances they will go up; They are together lighter than vanity.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 12:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8This affecting and minute description of old age and death is concluded by the author with the same exclamation by which he began this book: O vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth, all is vanity. Now that man, the masterpiece of God's creation, the delegated sovereign of this lower world, is turned to dust, what is there stable or worthy of contemplation besides? All - All is Vanity!Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8-14Verses 8-14 This passage is properly regarded as the Epilogue of the whole book; a kind of apology for the obscurity of many of its sayings. The passage serves therefore to make the book more intelligible and more acceptable. Here, as in the beginning of the book Ecclesiastes 1:1-2, the Preacher speaks of himself Ecclesiastes 12:8-10 in the third person. He first repeats Ecclesiastes 12:8 the mournful, perplexing theme with which his musings began…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-14Verses 8-14 Solomon repeats his text, VANITY OF VANITIES, ALL IS VANITY. These are the words of one that could speak by dear-bought experience of the vanity of the world, which can do nothing to ease men of the burden of sin. As he considered the worth of souls, he gave good heed to what he spake and wrote; words of truth will always be acceptable words. The truths of God are as goads to such as are dull and draw back, and nails to such as are wandering…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8This almost exact repetition of Ecclesiastes 1:2 summarizes the Teacher's conclusion.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 8-128-12. A summary of the first part. Vanity, &c.--Resumption of the sentiment with which the book began (Ec 1:2; 1Jo 2:17).Read the comment
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries