As Solomon continues searching through various activities and life experiences in his quest for wisdom and understanding, he frequently issues one of two verdicts: either something is considered to be a good worth pursuing or else it is deemed a worthless vanity.
For instance, in verses 2-9, Solomon considers the obedience due a king, and he counsels that it is best to quickly obey a royal edict. "Keep the king's command because of your sacred oath...do not delay when the matter is unpleasant" (vs. 2-3). Solomon finds value, therefore, in the maintenance of a healthy relationship with one's sovereign.
But Solomon holds an altogether different opinion of injustice. When he sees the wicked treated as the righteous and the righteous punished like the wicked, Solomon says, "I said that this also is vanity" (vs. 10 and 14). He is frustrated that people may not be treated as their deeds demand.
However, even in spite of his proclivity to pronounce this as "vanity," he also understands that there may be a coming judgment that is yet unseen. "Though sinners do evil a hundred times and prolong their lives, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they stand in fear before him, but it will not be well with the wicked, neither will they prolong their days like a shadow, because they do not stand in fear before God" (vs. 12-13).
Sifting through life to find the valuable among the vanity is Solomon's endeavor in Ecclesiastes.
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