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Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is
vanity. — Ecclesiasites 1:2, KJV 2000
What is its literal meaning, in context?
Troy Day
John Mushenhouse even Brett Dobbs cannot tell Glynn Brown
Brett Dobbs
Troy Day vanity means it’s nothing. It’s worthless. It’s useless. It’s purposeless.
Glynn Brown
Troy Day you should read it in a better translation,then even you could comprehend it.
John Mushenhouse
vanity = hebel = vapour/breath /emptiness / transitory/ unsatisfactory — To come to nothing when effort is given.—–
Vanity is translated in the Septuagint with mataiotes, which describes the state of being without use or value, emptiness, futility, purposelessness, transitoriness. See Michael Eaton’s note on use of Hebel in Ecclesiastes. ” “Vanity of vanities” is a Hebrew superlative (“Utterly Meaningless”), analogous to the Hebrew idiom “Holy of Holies” or “Song of Songs”. The idea is “The most utter vanity” or “complete emptiness.” The idea here is that there is an emptiness which is above all other emptinesses. The Preacher wants to emphasize and underline and boldface this point. ALL IS EMPTY!!!!! The Preacher (Qohelet) is declaring that everything under the sun — all human efforts, wisdom, pleasures, and toil — are ultimately temporary, unsatisfying, and elusive apart from God. The phrase captures the existential frustration of life “under the sun” of life without eternal perspective, and specifically life without the Son!
Vanity is translated in the Septuagint with mataiotes, which describes the state of being without use or value, emptiness, futility, purposelessness, transitoriness. See Michael Eaton’s note on use of Hebel in Ecclesiastes. —–Tony Garland said “”Vanity of vanities” is a Hebrew superlative (“Utterly Meaningless”), analogous to the Hebrew idiom “Holy of Holies” or “Song of Songs”. The idea is “The most utter vanity” or “complete emptiness.” The idea here is that there is an emptiness which is above all other emptinesses. The Preacher wants to emphasize and underline and boldface this point. ALL IS EMPTY!!!!! The Preacher (Qohelet) is declaring that everything under the sun — all human efforts, wisdom, pleasures, and toil — are ultimately temporary, unsatisfying, and elusive apart from God. The phrase captures the existential frustration of life “under the sun” of life without eternal perspective, and specifically life without the Son!