Ecclesiastes 1:1-3

New International Version

1 The words of the Teacher,^[a]^(A) son of David, king in Jerusalem:^(B)

²“Meaningless! Meaningless!”
says the Teacher.
“Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless.”^(C)

³What do people gain from all their labors
at which they toil under the sun?^(D)

Ecclesiastes 1:1-3

Common English Bible

1 The words of the Teacher of the Assembly,^[a] David’s son, king in Jerusalem:

²Perfectly pointless,^[b] says the Teacher, perfectly pointless.
Everything is pointless.

³What do people gain from all the hard work
that they work so hard at under the sun?

Ecclesiastes 1:1 Or Gatherer or Convener or Assembler (Heb Qoheleth); see also 1:2, 12; 7:27; 12:8, 9, 10.
Ecclesiastes 1:2 Or meaningless or vapor or puff of air (Heb hebel, which often occurs in the book)

New International Version (NIV)