Vanity

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman who fears Yahweh, she shall be praised.

“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”

Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and behold, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

Turn my eyes away from looking at worthless things. Revive me in your ways.

He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase: this also is vanity.

But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him: for I see not as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart.”

Then I saw all the labor and achievement that is the envy of a man’s neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Behold, you have made my days hand breadths. My lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely every man stands as a breath.” Selah.

Man is like a breath. His days are like a shadow that passes away.

For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

For bodily exercise has some value, but godliness has value in all things, having the promise of the life which is now, and of that which is to come.

“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher. “All is vanity!”

Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.

“Be careful that you don’t do your charitable giving before men, to be seen by them, or else you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. — read the full passage →

For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but because of him who subjected it, in hope

I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.

a man to whom God gives riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him no power to eat of it, but an alien eats it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

You, when you are made desolate, what will you do? Though you clothe yourself with scarlet, though you deck you with ornaments of gold, though you enlarge your eyes with paint, in vain do you make yourself beautiful; your lovers despise you, they seek your life.

So I hated life, because the work that is worked under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a chasing after wind.

Surely men of low degree are just a breath, and men of high degree are a lie. In the balances they will go up. They are together lighter than a breath.

I loathe my life. I don’t want to live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh. — read the full passage →

Be free from the love of money, content with such things as you have, for he has said, “I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you.”

I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with mirth: therefore enjoy pleasure”; and behold, this also was vanity.

For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.

The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem: — read the full passage →

“Surely every man walks like a shadow. Surely they busy themselves in vain. He heaps up, and doesn’t know who shall gather.

There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was—yet those who come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. “For whom then, do I labor, and deprive my soul of enjoyment?” This also is vanity. Yes, it is a miserable business.

Then I said in my heart, “As it happens to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise?” Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity.

Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself; for emptiness shall be his reward.

When you rebuke and correct man for iniquity, You consume his wealth like a moth. Surely every man is but a breath.” Selah.

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh; for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.

Yahweh knows the thoughts of man, that they are futile.

If anyone among you thinks himself to be religious while he doesn’t bridle his tongue, but deceives his heart, this man’s religion is worthless.

For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spends like a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?

Thus says Yahweh, “What unrighteousness have your fathers found in me, that they have gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?

For that which happens to the sons of men happens to animals. Even one thing happens to them. As the one dies, so the other dies. Yes, they have all one breath; and man has no advantage over the animals: for all is vanity.

This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind,

It is vain for you to rise up early, to stay up late, eating the bread of toil; for he gives sleep to his loved ones.

Everyone lies to his neighbor. They speak with flattering lips, and with a double heart.

For, uttering great swelling words of emptiness, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by licentiousness, those who are indeed escaping from those who live in error;

Wealth gained dishonestly dwindles away, but he who gathers by hand makes it grow.

Yahweh, my strength, and my stronghold, and my refuge in the day of affliction, to you shall the nations come from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Our fathers have inherited nothing but lies, vanity and things in which there is no profit.

He who sows wickedness reaps trouble, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.

They rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified to them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and followed the nations that were around them, concerning whom Yahweh had commanded them that they should not do like them.

Behold, you have made my days hand breadths. My lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely every man stands as a breath.” Selah. — read the full passage →

His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression. Under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.

You sons of men, how long shall my glory be turned into dishonor? Will you love vanity, and seek after falsehood? Selah.

For all his days are sorrows, and his travail is grief; yes, even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.

Getting treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor for those who seek death.

so am I made to possess months of misery, wearisome nights are appointed to me.

When you cry, let those who you have gathered deliver you; but the wind shall take them, a breath shall carry them all away: but he who takes refuge in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain.”

If he comes to see me, he speaks falsehood. His heart gathers iniquity to itself. When he goes abroad, he tells it.

Remove far from me falsehood and lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that is needful for me;

He who has clean hands and a pure heart; who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood, and has not sworn deceitfully.

For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.

I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind.

For my people have forgotten me, they have burned incense to false gods; and they have been made to stumble in their ways, in the ancient paths, to walk in byways, in a way not built up;

Put to death therefore your members which are on the earth: sexual immorality, uncleanness, depraved passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry;

Everyone who makes an engraved image is vain. The things that they delight in will not profit. Their own witnesses don’t see, nor know, that they may be disappointed.

Whereas you don’t know what your life will be like tomorrow. For what is your life? For you are a vapor, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.

A high look, and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, is sin.

An empty-headed man becomes wise when a man is born as a wild donkey’s colt.

I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with mirth: therefore enjoy pleasure”; and behold, this also was vanity. — read the full passage →

Therefore he consumed their days in vanity, and their years in terror.

I hate those who regard lying vanities, but I trust in Yahweh.

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Give us help against the adversary, for the help of man is vain.

Who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all of my labor in which I have labored, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.

One who works his land will have an abundance of food; but one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.

Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot a vain thing?

Our eyes still fail, looking in vain for our help: In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save.

Remind them of these things, charging them in the sight of the Lord, that they don’t argue about words, to no profit, to the subverting of those who hear.

Don’t be carried away by various and strange teachings, for it is good that the heart be established by grace, not by food, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.

There is a vanity which is done on the earth, that there are righteous men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked. Again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.

So I saw the wicked buried. Indeed they came also from holiness. They went and were forgotten in the city where they did this. This also is vanity.

The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea. When they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue. — read the full passage →

Behold, all of them, their works are vanity and nothing. Their molten images are wind and confusion.

For he knows false men. He sees iniquity also, even though he doesn’t consider it.

But shun empty chatter, for it will go further in ungodliness,

Timothy, guard that which is committed to you, turning away from the empty chatter and oppositions of the knowledge which is falsely so called;

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.

For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life?

“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” — read the full passage →

knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers,

And again, “The Lord knows the reasoning of the wise, that it is worthless.”

He who tills his land shall have plenty of bread, but he who chases fantasies is void of understanding.

Yes, if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that comes is vanity.

but shun foolish questionings, genealogies, strife, and disputes about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

If I dole out all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don’t have love, it profits me nothing.

For there are many words that create vanity. What does that profit man?

I have not sat with deceitful men, neither will I go in with hypocrites.

What good is it, my brothers, if a man says he has faith, but has no works? Can faith save him?

Remember how short my time is! For what vanity have you created all the children of men!

Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, says Yahweh, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their vain boasting: yet I didn’t send them, nor commanded them; neither do they profit this people at all, says Yahweh.

Bring no more vain offerings. Incense is an abomination to me; new moons, Sabbaths, and convocations: I can’t bear with evil assemblies.

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

The world is passing away with its lusts, but he who does God’s will remains forever.