The Emptiness Of Work

[18] Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. [19] And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity. [20] Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun. [21] For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. [22] For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun? [23] For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity. [24] There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God. [25] For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I? [26] For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion.

Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.

Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.

For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.

• Power

And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

But the cormorant and the bittern shall possess it; the owl also and the raven shall dwell in it: and he shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness.

So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.

• Exemplified
• Power

Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

• Continual

For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.