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

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

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

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

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 

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

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

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

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

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!

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.

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.

For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; however, he must hand over ¹  the fruit of his labor ²  as an inheritance ³  to someone else who did not work for it. This also is futile, and an awful injustice! ⁴