"Vanityof vanities,"saysthe Preacher,"allis vanity!"
Menof lowdegreeare onlyvanityand menof rankare a lie;In the balancesthey goup; They are togetherlighter thanbreath.
The wordsof the Preacher,the sonof David,kingin Jerusalem.
I, the Preacher,have beenkingoverIsraelin Jerusalem.
I have seenallthe workswhichhave been doneunderthe sun,and behold,allis vanityand strivingafter wind.
And I setmy mindto knowwisdomand to knowmadnessand folly;I realizedthat thisalsois strivingafter wind.
"Vanityof vanities,"saysthe Preacher,"Vanityof vanities!Allis vanity."
So I hatedlife,for the workwhichhad been doneunderthe sunwas grievousto me; becauseeverythingis futilityand strivingafter wind.
I have seenthat everylaborand everyskillwhich is doneis [the result of] rivalrybetween a manand his neighbor.Thistoois vanityand strivingafter wind.
For whoknowswhatis goodfor a manduring [his] lifetime,[during] the fewyearsof his futilelife?He will spendthem like a shadow.For whocan tella manwhatwill be afterhim underthe sun?
Nomanhasauthorityto restrainthe windwith the wind,or authorityover the dayof death;and thereis nodischargein the timeof war,and evilwill not deliverthose whopracticeit.
