vanity

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “vanity,” “emptiness,” “breath,” or similar in English is translated in Mandarin Chinese as xūkōng (虚空) or “hollow,” “empty.” This is a term that is loaned from Buddhist terminology where it is used for Akasha (Sanskrit: आकाश). (Source: Zetzsche)

complete verse (Ecclesiastes 12:8)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Ecclesiastes 12:8:

  • Kupsabiny: “I am saying that everything is pointless.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Meaningless! Meaningless!
    says the Preacher, "It is all meaningless!"” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “I who am the preacher am-saying, ‘No value at-all! Everything has no [intensifier] value!’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Ecclesiastes 12:8

Following the last large section of text (11.7–12.7), this verse serves as an important discourse marker in the whole literary work. With 1.2 it forms an inclusion or bracket around the entire work of Qoheleth, so that we hear the same vanity (hevel) refrain both at the beginning and the end of the text. The use of inclusion is a typical feature of Hebrew literature, but here this stylistic device is used to “frame” a much larger unit, a whole book. Thus this short statement is the sign that Qoheleth’s discussion, which began in 1.2, is now completed. He rounds off the entire discussion by quoting the opening saying.

Detailed comments on this saying are found in 1.2.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Zogbo, Lynell. A Handbook on the Book of Ecclesiates. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Ecclesiastes 12:8

12:8 “Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher. “Everything is futile!”

The Teacher says, “Pointless, completely pointless. Everything is pointless.”
-or-
So the Teacher, says that everything is useless. All these things have no purpose.

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