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ESV — Ecclesiastes 1:2; Ecclesiastes 2:11; Ecclesiastes 2:17; Ecclesiastes 2:26; Ecclesiastes 4:4; Ecclesiastes 6:9

2 cVanity1 of vanities, says athe Preacher,

cvanity of vanities! dAll is vanity.

Footnotes

[1] 1:2 The Hebrew term hebel, translated vanity or vain, refers concretely to a “mist,” “vapor,” or “mere breath,” and metaphorically to something that is fleeting or elusive (with different nuances depending on the context). It appears five times in this verse and in 29 other verses in Ecclesiastes

11 Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was ovanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing pto be gained under the sun.

17 So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me, for oall is vanity and a striving after wind.

26 For to the one who pleases him iGod has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given ethe business of gathering and collecting, jonly to give to one who pleases God. kThis also is vanity and a striving after wind.

4 Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man's envy of his neighbor. This also is avanity1 and a striving after wind.

Footnotes

[1] 4:4 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath”; also verses 7, 8, 16 (see note on 1:2)

9 Better ais the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is bvanity and a striving after wind.