And again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.” ¹ 

“Futile! Futile!” laments ¹  the Teacher, ²  “Absolutely futile! ³  Everything ⁴  is futile!” ⁵ 

And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is useless; you are still in your sins.

The Lord knows that peoples’ thoughts are morally bankrupt. ¹ 

For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts and their senseless hearts ¹  were darkened.

“Absolutely futile!” ¹  laments the Teacher, ²  “All of these things ³  are futile!” ⁴ 

You should not turn aside after empty things that can’t profit and can’t deliver, since they are empty. ¹ 

For the religion ¹  of these people is worthless. They cut down a tree in the forest, and a craftsman makes it into an idol with his tools. ² 

You know that from your empty way of life inherited from your ancestors you were ransomed – not by perishable things like silver or gold,

So how can you console me with your futile words? Nothing is left of your answers but deception!” ¹ 

I, the Lord, affirm that ¹  I know how arrogant they are. But their pride is ill-founded. Their boastings will prove to be false. ² 

who said by the Holy Spirit through ¹  your servant David our forefather, ²  ‘Why do the nations ³  rage, ⁴  and the peoples plot foolish ⁵  things?

If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile.

whose ¹  trust ²  is in something futile, ³  whose security is a spider’s web. ⁴ 

Let him not trust in what is worthless, ¹  deceiving himself; for worthlessness will be his reward. ² 

Why ²  do the nations rebel? ³  Why ⁴  are the countries ⁵  devising ⁶  plots that will fail? ⁷ 

Give us help against the enemy, for any help men might offer is futile. ¹ 

Give us help against the enemy, for any help men might offer is futile. ¹ 

Surely it is futile to spread ¹  a net in plain sight of ²  any bird, ³ 

So ¹  I again considered ²  another ³  futile thing on earth: ⁴