All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.
I have seen everything during my meaningless days on earth: good people who die young despite living right, and evil people who live long lives even while doing wrong.
The writer is observing that life often seems unfair—sometimes good people suffer while bad people prosper.
📚 Historical Context
This comes from Ecclesiastes, traditionally attributed to King Solomon reflecting on life's meaning in his later years. The book was written during a time when Jewish people were grappling with questions about God's justice and why righteous people sometimes suffered while the wicked seemed to thrive. The author uses the word 'vanity' (Hebrew: hevel) throughout the book, meaning something temporary, fleeting, or seemingly without lasting purpose.
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