² "Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher; "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity."

²⁰ For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but because of him who subjected it, in hope

⁸ Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; All is vanity!

⁴ Man is like a breath. His days are like a shadow that passes away.

⁵ Behold, you have made my days handbreadths. My lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely every man stands as a breath." Selah.

⁶ "Surely every man walks like a shadow. Surely they busy themselves in vain. He heaps up, and doesn't know who shall gather.

⁹ Surely men of low degree are just a breath, And men of high degree are a lie. In the balances they will go up. They are together lighter than a breath.

¹⁰ Don't trust in oppression. Don't become vain in robbery. If riches increase, Don't set your heart on them.

¹⁰ He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase: this also is vanity.

¹¹ For there are many words that create vanity. What does that profit man?

⁸ Yes, if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; But let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that comes is vanity.

¹⁰ Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, And put away evil from your flesh; For youth and the dawn of life are vanity.

¹⁶ There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was--yet those who come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

⁸ There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. For whom then, do I labor, and deprive my soul of enjoyment? This also is vanity, yes, it is a miserable business.

¹⁵ Then said I in my heart, "As it happens 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.

¹⁷ So I hated life, because the work that is worked under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a chasing after wind.

¹⁹ Who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all of my labor in which I have labored, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.

²¹ For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.

²³ For all his days are sorrows, and his travail is grief; yes, even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.

²⁶ For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

¹⁹ For that which happens to the sons of men happens to animals. Even one thing happens to them. As the one dies, so the other dies. Yes, they have all one breath; and man has no advantage over the animals: for all is vanity.

⁴ Then I saw all the labor and achievement that is the envy of a man's neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

¹¹ Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and, behold, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.