Ecclesiastes 12:8 (DRB)

Passage

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

Nearby Context

Ecclesiastes 12:6 Before the silver cord be broken, and the golden fillet shrink back, and the pitcher be crushed at the fountain, and the wheel be broken upon the cistern,

Ecclesiastes 12:7 And the dust return into its earth, from whence it was, and the spirit return to God, who gave it.

Ecclesiastes 12:8 Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes, and all things are vanity.

Ecclesiastes 12:9 And whereas Ecclesiastes was very wise, he taught the people, and declared the things that he had done: and seeking out, he set forth many parables.

Ecclesiastes 12:10 He sought profitable words, and wrote words most right, and full of truth.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "all things", "vanity", "vanities", "said", and "ecclesiastes". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "all things" and "vanity", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 7's "And the dust return into its earth..." into verse 9's "And whereas Ecclesiastes was very wise he...", so "all things" and "vanity" belong inside that flow. In Ecclesiastes context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "all things" and "vanity" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.