Vanity of vanities; all is vanity

Cultural  

1. A statement at the beginning of the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament. The pointlessness of human activity is the major theme of the book. The author, however, like Job, insists that God's laws must be kept, whether keeping them results in happiness or sorrow.

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Example Sentences

The binding metaphor of 17th century still life was the vanitas, a term deriving from the text in Ecclesiastes, "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity."

From Time Magazine Archive

Old Version of Ecclesiastes 1:2-3: Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth; Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.

From Time Magazine Archive

Every motion of him cries "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity, quoth the preacher."

From Character Writings of the 17th Century by Various

Never has the saying of Ecclesiastes been more exactly verified: "Vanity of vanities; all is vanity!"

From The Court of the Empress Josephine by Perry, Thomas Sergeant

Vanity of vanities, all is vanity; such is the comfortless doctrine of the book.

From French Classics by Wilkinson, William Cleaver