Charles Spurgeon Commentary Ecclesiastes 12:8

"Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; all is vanity." — Ecclesiastes 12:8 (ASV)

Vanity of vanities, says the preacher; all is vanity.

This seems to be the conclusion to which Solomon came by the experiment of his own life, as well as by the teaching of God. This Book of Ecclesiastes begins thus: The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

Vanity of vanities, says the preacher; all is vanity. And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge;

Yes, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth. The words of the wise are as goads. They prick us onward, as the goad does the ox, when it is trying to stop instead of ploughing in the furrow.