Vanity of Vanities

Lately I’ve been rereading the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes. It’s one of my favorites and a book that can easily be misunderstood. Anything that begins like this could be (mis)construed as, well, as positively depressing:

Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, vanity of vanities! All things are vanity!

What profit have we from all the toil which we toil at under the sun?

One generation departs and another generation comes, but the world forever stays.

The sun rises and the sun sets; then it presses on to the place where it rises.

Shifting south, then north, back and forth shifts the wind, constantly shifting its course.

All rivers flow to the sea, yet never does the sea become full.

To the place where they flow, the rivers continue to flow.

All things are wearisome, too wearisome for words.

The eye is not satisfied by seeing nor has the ear enough of hearing.

What has been, that will be; what has been done, that will be done.

Nothing is new under the sun!

Even the thing of which we say, “See, this is new!” has already existed in the ages that preceded us.

There is no remembrance of past generations; nor will future generations be remembered by those who come after them. (Ecclesiastes 1:1-11)

Sounds pretty grim, but Qoheleth (“the Preacher”) didn’t intend to depress his readers. Instead he wanted to share wisdom, that is, the way to life a good life—at mid-life or at any other age. Simply stated, his message is, “Please grow up and stop taking yourself so seriously.”

Qoheleth tried all the fun things of life. He got rich, he built fabulous homes and other projects, he pursued wisdom, he collected fine wine and spirits, ate the best foods, and had more girlfriends than Elvis and the Beatles. It’s all “vanity” he says.

The Hebrew word translated “vanity” is hebel. It literally means a breath or a breeze. If you put out your hand and blow you can feel the hebel.  Hebel is real and recognizable—even pleasant—but it’s insubstantial, momentary, and ultimately profitless.

“The eye is not satisfied by seeing nor has the ear enough of hearing” and enough is never enough. After all, he writes, “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money; nor he who loves wealth with gain: this too is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 5:10).

So stop taking yourself, your projects, and your successes (or failures) so seriously. Instead relax and enjoy life. How? Seven times in the course of the book, Qoheleth tells us how. Here’s the fifth instance:

So I commend the enjoyment of life, because nothing is better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany him in his work all the days of the life God has given him under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 8:15).

Life and all it contains is God’s gift. Enjoy it as much as you are able to (keeping legality and morality in mind). Work hard and enjoy your work, but don’t expect too much out of work. That is, work to live; don’t live to work. Because as the (I’m happy to say) no longer ubiquitous T-shirt has it, “Life is good! J”

Also Ecclesiastes is good and much more in depth than this blog entry. Why not sit down and give it a read? Let me know what you think.