King James Version

Ecclesiastes 12:8

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

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Hebrew

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הֲבֵ֧לhavelvanityהֶבֶלnoun, 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.הֲבָלִ֛יםhavalimvanityהֶבֶלnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “vanity”, the ordinary formH1892emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb[idiom] altogether, vain, vanity.אָמַ֥רamarsayאָמַרverb, 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…הַקּוֹהֶ֖לֶתhaqoheletthe preacherקֹהֶלֶתdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the preacher”, the ordinary formH6953a (female) assembler (i.e. lecturer); abstractly, preaching (used as a 'nom de plume', Koheleth)preacher.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; 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; all is vanity.

Young’s Literal Translation

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

World English Bible

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

Darby Translation

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

Douay-Rheims

Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes, and all things are vanity.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth; all is vanity.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

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

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ματαιότης ματαιοτήτων, εἶπεν ὁ Ἐκκλησιαστὴς, τὰ πάντα ματαιότης.