Vanity of Vanities

Ecclesiastes 1:1–18

4th or 3rd Century BCE

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The late biblical book of Ecclesiastes presents itself as the writings of King Solomon, son of King David: “The words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem” (Ecclesiastes 1:1, NRSV). Opinions regarding its dating abound. A strong consensus dates it to the third century BCE, with 150 BCE seeming to be the latest possible date. Musing on his life, the “wisest of men” sums up life’s lessons in the stark refrain, “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity!” Like the book of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes is part of the genre of writing called wisdom literature, which expresses its ideas in the form of pithy aphorisms. The book’s skepticism and frequently heretical tone seem ultimately to question the value of human wisdom. Having garnered what knowledge he could, in the end the author of Ecclesiastes doubts that it was worth the effort, arriving at a position close to that of the conclusion of the biblical book of Job. It is best to keep things simple: “Fear God and keep his commandments: for that is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13, NRSV).

1The words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:

2Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher,
vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
3What do people gain from all the toil
at which they toil under the sun?
4A generation goes, and a generation comes,
but the earth remains forever.
5The sun rises and the sun goes down,
and hurries to the place where it rises.
6The wind blows to the south,
and goes around to the north;
round and round goes the wind,
and on its circuits the wind returns.
7All streams run to the sea,
but the sea is not full;
to the place where the streams flow,
there they continue to flow.
8All things are wearisome;
more than one can express;
the eye is not satisfied with seeing,
or the ear filled with hearing.
9What has been is what will be,
and what has been done is what will be done;
there is nothing new under the sun.
10Is there a thing of which it is said,
“See, this is new”?
It has already been,
in the ages before us.
11The people of long ago are not remembered,
nor will there be any remembrance
of people yet to come
by those who come after them.

12I, the Teacher, when king over Israel in Jerusalem, 13applied my mind to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven; it is an unhappy business that God has given to human beings to be busy with. 14I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun; and see, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.

15What is crooked cannot be made straight,
and what is lacking cannot be counted.

16I have said to myself, “I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.” 17And I applied my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a chasing after wind.

18For in much wisdom is much vexation,
and those who increase knowledge increase sorrow.

Translation from the New Revised Standard Version.

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Credits

New Revised Standard Version Bible copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 2: Emerging Judaism.

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The late biblical book of Ecclesiastes presents itself as the writings of King Solomon, son of King David: “The words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem” (Ecclesiastes 1:1, NRSV). Opinions regarding its dating abound. A strong consensus dates it to the third century BCE, with 150 BCE seeming to be the latest possible date. Musing on his life, the “wisest of men” sums up life’s lessons in the stark refrain, “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity!” Like the book of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes is part of the genre of writing called wisdom literature, which expresses its ideas in the form of pithy aphorisms. The book’s skepticism and frequently heretical tone seem ultimately to question the value of human wisdom. Having garnered what knowledge he could, in the end the author of Ecclesiastes doubts that it was worth the effort, arriving at a position close to that of the conclusion of the biblical book of Job. It is best to keep things simple: “Fear God and keep his commandments: for that is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13, NRSV).

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