Everything Is Futile

1 The words of the Teacher,^[a],^(A) son of David, king in Jerusalem.^(B)

²⁷ ‘Look,’ says the Teacher, ‘I have discovered this by adding one thing to another to find out the explanation,

⁸ ‘Absolute futility,’ says the Teacher. ‘Everything is futile.’^(A)

The Teacher’s Objectives and Conclusion

⁹ In addition to the Teacher being a wise man, he constantly taught the people knowledge; he weighed, explored, and arranged many proverbs.^{(B) 10} The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and write words of truth accurately.