Parallel Verses

American Standard Version

Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity.

New American Standard Bible

Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher,
Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.”

King James Version

Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

Holman Bible

“Absolute futility,” says the Teacher.
“Absolute futility. Everything is futile.”

International Standard Version

"Utterly pointless," says the Teacher. "Absolutely pointless; everything is pointless."

A Conservative Version

Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity.

Amplified


“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher.
“Vanity of vanities! All [that is done without God’s guidance] is vanity [futile, meaningless—a wisp of smoke, a vapor that vanishes, merely chasing the wind].”

Bible in Basic English

All is to no purpose, said the Preacher, all the ways of man are to no purpose.

Darby Translation

Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities! all is vanity.

Julia Smith Translation

Vanity of vanities, said the preacher; vanity of vanities, all vanity.

King James 2000

Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

Lexham Expanded Bible

"Vanity of vanities!" says the Teacher, "Vanity of vanities! All [is] vanity!"

Modern King James verseion

Vanity of vanities, says the preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.

Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale

All is but vanity - sayeth the Preacher - all is but plain vanity.

NET Bible

"Futile! Futile!" laments the Teacher, "Absolutely futile! Everything is futile!"

New Heart English Bible

"Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher; "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity."

The Emphasized Bible

Vanity of vanities! saith the Proclaimer, vanity of vanities! all, is vanity.

Webster

Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

World English Bible

"Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher; "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity."

Youngs Literal Translation

Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, Vanity of vanities: the whole is vanity.

Interlinear

English(KJV)
Strong's
Root Form
Definition
Usage
הבל הבל 
hebel 
Usage: 73

הבל הבל 
hebel 
הבל הבל 
hebel 
Usage: 73
Usage: 73

the Preacher
קהלת 
Qoheleth 
Usage: 7

הבל הבל 
hebel 
Usage: 73

Devotionals

Devotionals containing Ecclesiastes 1:2

References

Images Ecclesiastes 1:2

Prayers for Ecclesiastes 1:2

Context Readings

Motto Introduced

1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. 2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity. 3 What profit hath man of all his labor wherein he laboreth under the sun?

Cross References

Ecclesiastes 12:8

Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; all is vanity.

Romans 8:20

For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but by reason of him who subjected it, in hope

Psalm 39:5-6

Behold, thou hast made my days as handbreadths; And my life-time is as nothing before thee: Surely every man at his best estate is altogether vanity. Selah

Psalm 144:4

Man is like to vanity: His days are as a shadow that passeth away.

Psalm 62:9-10

Surely 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.

Ecclesiastes 2:11

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do; and, behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 2:15

Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then said I in my heart, that this also is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 2:17

So 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 2:19

And who knoweth whether he will be a wise man or a fool? yet will he have rule over all my labor wherein I have labored, and wherein I have showed myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 2:21

For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skilfulness; yet to a man that hath not labored therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

Ecclesiastes 2:23

For all his days are but'sorrows, and his travail is grief; yea, even in the night his heart taketh no rest. This also is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 2:26

For to the man that pleaseth him God giveth 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 pleaseth God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Ecclesiastes 3:19

For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; and man hath no preeminence above the beasts: for all is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 4:4

Then 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 4:8

There is one that is alone, and he hath not a second; yea, he hath neither son nor brother; yet is there no end of all his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with riches. For whom then,'saith he , do I labor, and deprive my soul of good? This also is vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.

Ecclesiastes 4:16

There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was: yet they that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Ecclesiastes 5:10

He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance, with increase: this also is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 6:11

Seeing there are many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?

Ecclesiastes 11:8

Yea, if a man live many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 11:10

Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh; for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.

Jump To Previous

Jump To Next

Word Concordance

King James Version Public Domain

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org

American Standard Version Public Domain

NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NetBible

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain