Do not bring any more meaningless ¹  offerings; I consider your incense detestable! ²  You observe new moon festivals, Sabbaths, and convocations, but I cannot tolerate sin-stained celebrations! ³ 

thus ¹  I have been made to inherit ²  months of futility, ³  and nights of sorrow ⁴  have been appointed ⁵  to me.

Will ¹  there be an end to your ²  windy words? ³  Or what provokes ⁴  you that you answer? ⁵ 

Take note of my brief lifespan! ¹  Why do you make all people so mortal? ² 

Better is one handful with some rest than two hands full of toil ¹  and chasing the wind.

They are worthless, mere objects to be mocked. ¹  When the time comes to punish them, they will be destroyed.

They are worthless, objects to be ridiculed. When the time comes to punish them, they will be destroyed.

And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is futile and your faith is empty.

But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, ¹  quarrels, and fights about the law, ²  because they are useless and empty.

I reflected on everything that is accomplished by man ¹  on earth, ²  and I concluded: Everything ³  he has accomplished ⁴  is futile ⁵  – like chasing the wind! ⁶ 

I thought to myself, ¹  “Come now, ²  I will try ³  self-indulgent pleasure ⁴  to see ⁵  if it is worthwhile.” ⁶  But I found ⁷  that it also is futile. ⁸ 

So I loathed ¹  life ²  because what happens ³  on earth ⁴  seems awful to me; for all the benefits of wisdom ⁵  are futile – like chasing the wind.

For all day long ¹  his work produces pain and frustration, ²  and even at night his mind cannot relax! ³  This also is futile!

The one who loves money ¹  will never be satisfied with money, ²  he who loves wealth ³  will never be satisfied ⁴  with his ⁵  income. This also is futile.

It is better to be content with ¹  what the eyes can see ²  than for one’s heart always to crave more. ³  This continual longing ⁴  is futile – like ⁵  chasing the wind.

Have you not seen a false vision and announced a lying omen when you say, “the Lord declares,” although I myself never spoke?

Thus the Pharisees ¹  said to one another, “You see that you can do nothing. Look, the world has run off after him!”

For if they become heirs by the law, faith is empty and the promise is nullified. ¹ 

For this is no idle word for you – it is your life! By this word you will live a long time in the land you are about to cross the Jordan to possess.”

Who knows if he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet ¹  he will be master over all the fruit of ²  my labor ³  for which I worked so wisely ⁴  on earth! ⁵  This also is futile!