Two things come into mind when one thinks of Ecclesiastes, Vanity of everything and “There is a time for everything”. Pete Seeger wrote Turn! Turn! Turn! in the early 1960s. The Byrds made it famous. With lyrics like, “To everything (turn, turn, turn) – There is a season (turn, turn, turn) – And a time to every purpose, under heaven”, Ecclesiastes is heard. We are 50 years later and the song is still heard.

I remember the first time I heard “Vanity of vanity”. I remember wondering if it was something related to makeup, primping, and pride, The meaning from Ecclesiastes is emptiness, uselessness, and without value. I can see where some people consider beauty of no real value, looking at it as vain, empty, and useless. A few examples follow:

Ecclesiastes 1:2
qō·he·leṯ, קֹהֶ֔לֶת the Preacher	’ā·mar אָמַ֣ר said	hă·ḇā·lîm הֲבָלִים֙ of vanities	hă·ḇêl הֲבֵ֤ל Vanity
hā·ḇel. הָֽבֶל׃ [is] vanity	hak·kōl הַכֹּ֥ל All	hă·ḇā·lîm הֲבָלִ֖ים of vanities	hă·ḇêl הֲבֵ֥ל vanity

 

Ecclesiastes 1:14

14 I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. 15 What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted.

Ecclesiastes 2:11

9 Then I became great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me. 10 All that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor and this was my reward for all my labor.11 Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 2:17

17 So I hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was grievous to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:18

18Thus I hated all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, for I must leave it to the man who will come after me.

Ecclesiastes 2:26

26 For to a person who is good in His sight He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who is good in God’s sight. This too is vanity and striving after wind.