King James Version

Ecclesiastes 1:2

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

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Hebrew

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הֲבֵ֤לhavelvanityהֶבֶלnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “vanity”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1892emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb[idiom] altogether, vain, vanity.הֲבָלִים֙havalimvanityהֶבֶלnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “vanity”, the ordinary formH1892emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb[idiom] altogether, vain, vanity.אָמַ֣רamarsayאָמַרverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “say”, a completed actionH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…קֹהֶ֔לֶתqoheletpreacherקֹהֶלֶתnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “preacher”, the ordinary formH6953a (female) assembler (i.e. lecturer); abstractly, preaching (used as a 'nom de plume', Koheleth)preacher.הֲבֵ֥לhavelvanityהֶבֶלnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “vanity”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1892emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb[idiom] altogether, vain, vanity.הֲבָלִ֖יםhavalimvanityהֶבֶלnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “vanity”, the ordinary formH1892emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb[idiom] altogether, vain, vanity.הַכֹּ֥לhakolthe allכֹּלdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the all”, the ordinary formH3605properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).הָֽבֶלhavelvanityהֶבֶלnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “vanity”, the ordinary formH1892emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb[idiom] altogether, vain, vanity.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth; vanity of vanities, all is vanity.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

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

Young’s Literal Translation

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

World English Bible

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

Darby Translation

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

Douay-Rheims

Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes vanity of vanities, and all is vanity.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth; vanity of vanities, all is vanity.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

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

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ματαιότης ματαιοτήτων, εἶπεν ὁ Ἐκκλησιαστὴς, ματαιότης ματαιοτήτων, τὰ πάντα ματαιότης.