Ecclesiastes 1:2

Ecclesiastes 1:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
• New Living Translation (NLT)“Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!”

Context of Ecclesiastes 1:2

1The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem: “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” 3What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun? 4Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.

Ecclesiastes 1:2 word by word

הֲבֵ֤ל הֲבָלִים֙ אָמַ֣ר קֹהֶ֔לֶת הֲבֵ֥ל הֲבָלִ֖ים הַכֹּ֥ל הָֽבֶל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

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

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 1:2

• Ecclesiastes 2:11Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.
• Ecclesiastes 3:19Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless.
• Ecclesiastes 4:4And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
• Ecclesiastes 5:10Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.
• Ecclesiastes 6:11The more the words, the less the meaning, and how does that profit anyone?
• Ecclesiastes 11:8However many years anyone may live, let them enjoy them all. But let them remember the days of darkness, for there will be many. Everything to come is meaningless.
• Ecclesiastes 12:8“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Everything is meaningless!”
• Psalms 39:5You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure.
• Psalms 62:9Surely the lowborn are but a breath, the highborn are but a lie. If weighed on a balance, they are nothing; together they are only a breath.
• Psalms 144:4They are like a breath; their days are like a fleeting shadow.
• Romans 8:20For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 1:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Vanity of vanities - As the words are an exclamation, it would be better to translate, O vanity of vanities! Emptiness of emptinesses. True, substantial good is not to be found in any thing liable to change and corruption. The author referred to in the introduction begins his paraphrase thus: - "O vain deluding world! whose largest gifts Thine emptiness betray, like painted clouds, Or watery bubbles: as the vapor flies, Dispersed by lightest blast, so…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Vanity - This word הבל hebel or, when used as a proper name, in Genesis 4:2, “Abel”, occurs no less than 37 times in Ecclesiastes, and has been called the key of the book. Primarily it means “breath,” “light wind;” and denotes what: (1) passes away more or less quickly and completely; (2) leaves either no result or no adequate result behind, and therefore (3) fails to satisfy the mind of man, which naturally craves for something permanent and progressive…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Futility of futilities...Everything is futile (literally vapor of vapors): Whenever "meaningless" appears in this book, it translates the Hebrew word hebel, which means "breath" or "vapor." The Teacher concludes that everything is temporary and lacks meaning, like vapor.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. The theme proposed of the first part of his discourse. Vanity of vanities--Hebraism for the most utter vanity. So "holy of holies" (Ex 26:33); "servant of servants" (Ge 9:25). The repetition increases the force. all--Hebrew, "the all"; all without exception, namely, earthly things. vanity--not in themselves, for God maketh nothing in vain (1Ti 4:4, 5), but vain when put in the place of God and made the end, instead of the means (Psa 39:5, 6; 62:9; Mt…Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 1:2

• Covetousness
• Experience
• Vanity

In the dictionaries

• Sun
• Vanity
• Synagogue, the Great

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 1

• 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
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings