Vanity of vanities
Today's focusThe Preacher declares, 'Vanity of vanities; all is vanity', and asks what profit there is in all our labour under the sun; generations come and go, the sun, wind and rivers keep circling, the eye is never satisfied, and there is no new thing under the sun.
Read
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.
Reflection
The Preacher opens this book with a sobering reality: "all is vanity." When you look at the tireless cycles of the world—the sun rising and setting, the wind whirling in circuits, and the rivers running to a sea that is never full—it can feel as though your hard work is part of a never-ending loop. You may often ask yourself, as the Preacher does, what "profit" there is in all the labour you take "under the sun."
This passage honestly acknowledges the weariness you might feel when life seems like a repetitive circle. Even when you seek something fresh to satisfy your heart, you find that "the eye is not satisfied with seeing" and there is "no new thing under the sun." The Preacher observes that generations pass away and are eventually forgotten. By naming this feeling of "vanity," the scripture meets you in your moments of exhaustion and search for meaning. It invites you to look truthfully at the world’s limitations, recognizing that the restless pursuit of new things cannot truly fill the soul.
AI-written reflection on the passage above. Let Scripture itself be the main thing.
Reflect
Where do you feel the tiredness of life going round in circles — and if that feeling will not lift, who could you talk to, such as a trusted friend, pastor or doctor?
Pray
Lord, sometimes life feels like an endless circle of labour and weariness. Thank you that your Word is honest about this. Meet me in my questions and show me what lasts.