A-Z: Common sayings from the Bible
- Threescore years and ten
- Through a glass darkly
- Thy neighbour's wife
- Till death us do part
- Tithe
- To have and to hold
- Tower of Babel
- Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is grown he will not depart from it
- Treasure in clay pots / earthen vessels
- Turn the other cheek
- Twinkling of an eye
- Valley of the shadow of death
- Vanity of vanities
- Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord
- Voice crying in the wilderness
- Wages of sin is death
- Washing one's hands of something
- Watch in the night
- Weaker vessel
- Weighed in the balance
- Well done, good and faithful servant
- Wheat and tares
- Whited sepulchre
- Whitewashed wall
- Whole duty of man
- Whore of Babylon
- Widow's cruse of oil
- Widow's mite
- Wisdom of Solomon
- Wolf in sheep's clothing
- Working out one's own salvation
- Writing on the wall
- Your sin will find you out
A-Z: Common sayings from the Bible: Vanity of vanities
Usage
Pointlessness, though in recent expression it seems also to refer to vanity in the sense of being concerned about one's appearance.Definition
The book of Ecclesiastes is an experiment in pretending God does not exist: when viewed from this perspective life is supremely pointless and an exercise in attempting to please oneself.Bible References
Ecclesiastes 1:2- English Standard Version
- King James Version
1The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. 2Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. 3What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun? 4A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. 5The sun rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it rises. 6The wind blows to the south and goes around to the north; around and around goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns. 7All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again. 8All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. 9What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. 10Is there a thing of which it is said, See, this is new? It has been already in the ages before us. 11There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of later things yet to be among those who come after. 12I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 14I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind. 15What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be counted. 16I said in my heart, I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me, and my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. 17And I applied my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind. 18For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
1The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. 2Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. 3What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? 4One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. 5The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose. 6The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits. 7All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again. 8All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. 9The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. 10Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us. 11There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after. 12I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. 14I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. 15That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered. 16I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. 17And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. 18For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
The Bible describes God as the unique supreme being, creator and ruler of the universe.
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