Ecclesiastes 12:8

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 snapped, and the gold bowl is broken, and the jar is shattered at the spring, and the wheel is broken into the well; 7and the dust returns to the earth as it once was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. “Absolute futility,” says the Teacher. “Everything is futile.” 9In addition to the Teacher being a wise man, he constantly taught the people knowledge; he weighed, explored, and arranged many proverbs. 10The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and write words of truth accurately.

Ecclesiastes 12:8 word by word

הֲבֵ֧ל הֲבָלִ֛ים אָמַ֥ר הַקּוֹהֶ֖לֶת הַכֹּ֥ל הָֽבֶל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Vanityהֶ֫בֶלhebel hăbêl · vanityH1892
• saithאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• the preacherקֹהֶ֫לֶתqôheleth · preacherH6953

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 12:8

• Ecclesiastes 1:2“Absolute futility,” says the Teacher. “Absolute futility. Everything is futile.”
• Ecclesiastes 2:17Therefore, I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
• Ecclesiastes 4:4I saw that all labor and all skillful work is due to one person’s jealousy of another. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
• Ecclesiastes 6:12For who knows what is good for anyone in life, in the few days of his futile life that he spends like a shadow? Who can tell anyone what will happen after him under the sun?
• Ecclesiastes 8:8No one has authority over the wind to restrain it, and there is no authority over the day of death; no one is discharged during battle, and wickedness will not allow those who practice it to escape.
• Psalms 62:9Common people are only a vapor; important people, an illusion. Together on a scale, they weigh less than a vapor.

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

• Conclusion
• Creator
• Heed
• Judgment
• Remember
• Whole
• Dead

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