36 Bible Verses about Vanity

But My people have forgotten Me, to a vain thing they make perfume, And they cause them to stumble in their ways -- paths of old, To walk in paths -- a way not raised up,

Man to vanity hath been like, His days are as a shadow passing by.

O Timotheus, the thing entrusted guard thou, avoiding the profane vain-words and opposition of the falsely-named knowledge,

and the profane vain talkings stand aloof from, for to more impiety they will advance,

These things remind them of, testifying fully before the Lord -- not to strive about words to nothing profitable, but to the subversion of those hearing;

from which certain, having swerved, did turn aside to vain discourse,

I have hated the observers of lying vanities, And I toward Jehovah have been confident.

And in one they are brutish and foolish, An instruction of vanities is the tree itself.

But My people have forgotten Me, to a vain thing they make perfume, And they cause them to stumble in their ways -- paths of old, To walk in paths -- a way not raised up,

and reject His statutes and His covenant that He made with their fathers, and His testimonies that He testified against them, and go after the vain thing, and become vain, and after the nations that are round about them, of whom Jehovah commanded them not to do like them;

Framers of a graven image are all of them emptiness, And their desirable things do not profit, And their own witnesses they are, They see not, nor know, that they may be ashamed. Who hath formed a god, And a molten image poured out -- not profitable?

And it cometh to pass, because the sons of Israel have sinned against Jehovah their God -- who bringeth them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt -- and fear other gods, and walk in the statutes of the nations that Jehovah dispossessed from the presence of the sons of Israel, and of the kings of Israel that they made; and the sons of Israel do covertly things that are not right against Jehovah their God, and build for them high places in all their cities, from a tower of the watchers unto the fenced city, read more.
and set up for them standing-pillars and shrines on every high height, and under every green tree, and make perfume there in all high places, like the nations that Jehovah removed from their presence, and do evil things to provoke Jehovah, and serve the idols, of which Jehovah said to them, 'Ye do not do this thing;' And Jehovah testifieth against Israel, and against Judah, by the hand of every prophet, and every seer, saying, 'Turn back from your evil ways, and keep My commands, My statutes, according to all the law that I commanded your fathers, and that I sent unto you by the hand of My servants the prophets;' and they have not hearkened, and harden their neck, like the neck of their fathers, who did not remain stedfast in Jehovah their God, and reject His statutes and His covenant that He made with their fathers, and His testimonies that He testified against them, and go after the vain thing, and become vain, and after the nations that are round about them, of whom Jehovah commanded them not to do like them; And they forsake all the commands of Jehovah their God, and make to them a molten image -- two calves, and make a shrine, and bow themselves to all the host of the heavens, and serve Baal, and cause their sons and their daughters to pass over through fire, and divine divinations, and use enchantments, and sell themselves to do the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, to provoke Him; That Jehovah sheweth himself very angry against Israel, and turneth them aside from His presence; none hath been left, only the tribe of Judah by itself. Also Judah hath not kept the commands of Jehovah their God, and they walk in the statutes of Israel that they had made. And Jehovah kicketh against all the seed of Israel, and afflicteth them, and giveth them into the hand of spoilers, till that He hath cast them out of His presence, for He hath rent Israel from the house of David, and they make Jeroboam son of Nebat king, and Jeroboam driveth Israel from after Jehovah, and hath caused them to sin a great sin, and the sons of Israel walk in all the sins of Jeroboam that he did, they have not turned aside therefrom, till that Jehovah hath turned Israel aside from His presence, as He spake by the hand of all His servants the prophets, and Israel is removed from off its land to Asshur, unto this day.

Let him not put credence in vanity, He hath been deceived, For vanity is his recompence.

Therefore, thus said Jehovah: Ask, I pray you, among the nations, Who hath heard like these? A very horrible thing hath the virgin of Israel done. Doth snow of Lebanon Cease from the rock of the field? Failed are the cold strange waters that flow? But My people have forgotten Me, to a vain thing they make perfume, And they cause them to stumble in their ways -- paths of old, To walk in paths -- a way not raised up, read more.
To make their land become a desolation, A hissing age-during, Every passer by it is astonished, And bemoaneth with his head. As an east wind I scatter them before an enemy, The neck, and not the face, I shew them, In the day of their calamity.'

O Timotheus, the thing entrusted guard thou, avoiding the profane vain-words and opposition of the falsely-named knowledge,

and foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about law, stand away from -- for they are unprofitable and vain.

and the profane vain talkings stand aloof from, for to more impiety they will advance,

These things remind them of, testifying fully before the Lord -- not to strive about words to nothing profitable, but to the subversion of those hearing;

from which certain, having swerved, did turn aside to vain discourse, willing to be teachers of law, not understanding either the things they say, nor concerning what they asseverate,

For to a man who is good before Him, He hath given wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; and to a sinner He hath given travail, to gather and to heap up, to give to the good before God. Even this is vanity and vexation of spirit.

There is one, and there is not a second; even son or brother he hath not, and there is no end to all his labour! His eye also is not satisfied with riches, and he saith not, 'For whom am I labouring and bereaving my soul of good?' This also is vanity, it is a sad travail.

Of oaths his mouth is full, And deceits, and fraud: Under his tongue is perverseness and iniquity,

Vanity they speak each with his neighbour, Lip of flattery! With heart and heart they speak.

And if he came to see -- vanity he speaketh, His heart gathereth iniquity to itself, He goeth out -- at the street he speaketh.

who, through the mouth of David thy servant, did say, Why did nations rage, and peoples meditate vain things?

because, having known God they did not glorify Him as God, nor gave thanks, but were made vain in their reasonings, and their unintelligent heart was darkened,

Why have nations tumultuously assembled? And do peoples meditate vanity?

This, then, I say, and I testify in the Lord; ye are no more to walk, as also the other nations walk, in the vanity of their mind, being darkened in the understanding, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart, who, having ceased to feel, themselves did give up to the lasciviousness, for the working of all uncleanness in greediness;

for revealed is the wrath of God from heaven upon all impiety and unrighteousness of men, holding down the truth in unrighteousness. Because that which is known of God is manifest among them, for God did manifest it to them, for the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world, by the things made being understood, are plainly seen, both His eternal power and Godhead -- to their being inexcusable; read more.
because, having known God they did not glorify Him as God, nor gave thanks, but were made vain in their reasonings, and their unintelligent heart was darkened, professing to be wise, they were made fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of fowls, and of quadrupeds, and of reptiles.

Give to us help from adversity, And vain is the deliverance of man.

While we exist -- consumed are our eyes for our vain help, In our watch-tower we have watched for a nation that saveth not.

They sowed wheat, and have thorns reaped, They have become sick -- they profit not, And they have been ashamed of your increases, Because of the fierceness of the anger of Jehovah.

Whoso is sowing perverseness reapeth sorrow, And the rod of his anger weareth out.

Remove mine eyes from seeing vanity, In Thy way quicken Thou me.

Vanity and a lying word put far from me, Poverty or wealth give not to me, Cause me to eat the bread of my portion,

for the bodily exercise is unto little profit, and the piety is to all things profitable, a promise having of the life that now is, and of that which is coming;

with teachings manifold and strange be not carried about, for it is good that by grace the heart be confirmed, not with meats, in which they who were occupied were not profited;

For who knoweth what is good for a man in life, the number of the days of the life of his vanity, and he maketh them as a shadow? for who declareth to man what is after him under the sun?

I have wasted away -- not to the age do I live. Cease from me, for my days are vanity.

Only, in an image doth each walk habitually, Only, in vain, they are disquieted, He heapeth up and knoweth not who gathereth them.

This, then, I say, and I testify in the Lord; ye are no more to walk, as also the other nations walk, in the vanity of their mind,

By searching dost thou find out God? Unto perfection find out the Mighty One? Heights of the heavens! -- what dost thou? Deeper than Sheol! -- what knowest thou? Longer than earth is its measure, And broader than the sea. read more.
If He pass on, and shut up, and assemble, Who then dost reverse it? For he hath known men of vanity, And He seeth iniquity, And one doth not consider it! And empty man is bold, And the colt of a wild ass man is born.

And dost thou wish to know, O vain man, that the faith apart from the works is dead? Abraham our father -- was not he declared righteous out of works, having brought up Isaac his son upon the altar? dost thou see that the faith was working with his works, and out of the works the faith was perfected?

When thou criest, let thy gatherings deliver thee, And all of them carry away doth wind, Take away doth vanity, And whoso is trusting in Me inheriteth the land, And doth possess My holy mountain.

And He consumeth in vanity their days, And their years in trouble.

who, through the mouth of David thy servant, did say, Why did nations rage, and peoples meditate vain things?

because, having known God they did not glorify Him as God, nor gave thanks, but were made vain in their reasonings, and their unintelligent heart was darkened,

Why have nations tumultuously assembled? And do peoples meditate vanity?

And -- praying -- ye may not use vain repetitions like the nations, for they think that in their much speaking they shall be heard,

Add not to bring in a vain present, Incense -- an abomination it is to Me, New moon, and sabbath, calling of convocation! Rendure not iniquity -- and a restraint!

What is the Mighty One that we serve Him? And what do we profit when we meet with Him?'

Ye have said, 'A vain thing to serve God! And what gain when we kept His charge? And when we have gone in black, Because of Jehovah of Hosts?

Only -- vanity are the low, a lie the high. In balances to go up they than vanity are lighter.

With reproofs against iniquity, Thou hast corrected man, And dost waste as a moth his desirableness, Only, vanity is every man. Selah.

and Moses finisheth to speak all these words unto all Israel, and saith unto them, 'Set your heart to all the words which I am testifying against you to-day, that ye command your sons to observe to do all the words of this law, for it is not a vain thing for you, for it is your life, and by this thing ye prolong days on the ground whither ye are passing over the Jordan to possess it.'

and again, 'The Lord doth know the reasonings of the wise, that they are vain.'

For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity, and to a man who hath not laboured therein he giveth it -- his portion! Even this is vanity and a great evil.

and I said in my heart, 'As it happeneth with the fool, it happeneth also with me, and why am I then more wise?' And I spake in my heart, that also this is vanity:

What is the Mighty One that we serve Him? And what do we profit when we meet with Him?'

Ye have said, 'A vain thing to serve God! And what gain when we kept His charge? And when we have gone in black, Because of Jehovah of Hosts?

Of oaths his mouth is full, And deceits, and fraud: Under his tongue is perverseness and iniquity,

Vanity they speak each with his neighbour, Lip of flattery! With heart and heart they speak.

And if he came to see -- vanity he speaketh, His heart gathereth iniquity to itself, He goeth out -- at the street he speaketh.

When thou criest, let thy gatherings deliver thee, And all of them carry away doth wind, Take away doth vanity, And whoso is trusting in Me inheriteth the land, And doth possess My holy mountain.

And He consumeth in vanity their days, And their years in trouble.

They sowed wheat, and have thorns reaped, They have become sick -- they profit not, And they have been ashamed of your increases, Because of the fierceness of the anger of Jehovah.

Whoso is sowing perverseness reapeth sorrow, And the rod of his anger weareth out.

With reproofs against iniquity, Thou hast corrected man, And dost waste as a moth his desirableness, Only, vanity is every man. Selah.

The grace is false, and the beauty is vain, A woman fearing Jehovah, she may boast herself.

Remove mine eyes from seeing vanity, In Thy way quicken Thou me.

Vanity and a lying word put far from me, Poverty or wealth give not to me, Cause me to eat the bread of my portion,

and if I give away to feed others all my goods, and if I give up my body that I may be burned, and have not love, I am profited nothing.

And turn aside anger from thy heart, And cause evil to pass from thy flesh, For the childhood and the age are vanity!

Only, in an image doth each walk habitually, Only, in vain, they are disquieted, He heapeth up and knoweth not who gathereth them.

This, then, I say, and I testify in the Lord; ye are no more to walk, as also the other nations walk, in the vanity of their mind,

I have sought in my heart to draw out with wine my appetite, (and my heart leading in wisdom), and to take hold on folly till that I see where is this -- the good to the sons of man of that which they do under the heavens, the number of the days of their lives.

And all that mine eyes asked I kept not back from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labour, and this hath been my portion, from all my labour, and I have looked on all my works that my hands have done, and on the labour that I have laboured to do, and lo, the whole is vanity and vexation of spirit, and there is no advantage under the sun!

I said in my heart, 'Pray, come, I try thee with mirth, and look thou on gladness;' and lo, even it is vanity.

Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, Vanity of vanities: the whole is vanity.

A man to whom God giveth wealth, and riches, and honour, and there is no lack to his soul of all that he desireth, and God giveth him not power to eat of it, but a stranger eateth it; this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

O Jehovah, my strength, and my fortress, And my refuge in a day of adversity, Unto Thee nations do come from the ends of earth, And say, Only falsehood did our fathers inherit, Vanity, and none among them is profitable.

For I reckon that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory about to be revealed in us; for the earnest looking out of the creation doth expect the revelation of the sons of God; for to vanity was the creation made subject -- not of its will, but because of Him who did subject it -- in hope, read more.
that also the creation itself shall be set free from the servitude of the corruption to the liberty of the glory of the children of God;

Only, in an image doth each walk habitually, Only, in vain, they are disquieted, He heapeth up and knoweth not who gathereth them.

Vain for you who are rising early, Who delay sitting, eating the bread of griefs, So He giveth to His beloved one sleep.

Wealth from vanity becometh little, And whoso is gathering by the hand becometh great.

Whoso is tilling his ground is satisfied with bread, And whoso is pursuing vanity, Is filled with poverty.

Wealth from vanity becometh little, And whoso is gathering by the hand becometh great.

Whoso is tilling the ground is satisfied with bread, And whoso is pursuing vanities is lacking heart,

Lo, I am against the prophets of false dreams, An affirmation of Jehovah, And they recount them, and cause my people to err, By their falsehoods, and by their instability, And I -- I have not sent them, Nor have I commanded them, And they are not at all profitable to this people, An affirmation of Jehovah.

Samech. Doubting ones I have hated, And Thy law I have loved.

Whoso is sowing perverseness reapeth sorrow, And the rod of his anger weareth out.

Treasures of wickedness profit not, And righteousness delivereth from death.

for overswellings of vanity speaking, they do entice in desires of the flesh -- lasciviousnesses, those who had truly escaped from those conducting themselves in error,

Thus said Jehovah: What -- have your fathers found in Me perversity, That they have gone far off from Me, And go after the vanity, and become vain,

and I have looked on all my works that my hands have done, and on the labour that I have laboured to do, and lo, the whole is vanity and vexation of spirit, and there is no advantage under the sun!

And I have seen all the labour, and all the benefit of the work, because for it a man is the envy of his neighbour. Even this is vanity and vexation of spirit.

having known that, not with corruptible things -- silver or gold -- were ye redeemed from your foolish behaviour delivered by fathers,

for to vanity was the creation made subject -- not of its will, but because of Him who did subject it -- in hope,

Man to vanity hath been like, His days are as a shadow passing by.

With reproofs against iniquity, Thou hast corrected man, And dost waste as a moth his desirableness, Only, vanity is every man. Selah.

Iniquity he deviseth on his bed, He stationeth himself on a way not good, Evil he doth not refuse.'

I have not sat with vain men, And with dissemblers I enter not.

The clean of hands, and pure of heart, Who hath not lifted up to vanity his soul, Nor hath sworn to deceit.

Samech. Doubting ones I have hated, And Thy law I have loved.

Lo, handbreadths Thou hast made my days, And mine age is as nothing before Thee, Only, all vanity is every man set up. Selah.

If any one doth think to be religious among you, not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his heart, of this one vain is the religion;

What is the profit, my brethren, if faith, any one may speak of having, and works he may not have? is that faith able to save him?

O Jehovah, my strength, and my fortress, And my refuge in a day of adversity, Unto Thee nations do come from the ends of earth, And say, Only falsehood did our fathers inherit, Vanity, and none among them is profitable.

And empty man is bold, And the colt of a wild ass man is born.

For he hath known men of vanity, And He seeth iniquity, And one doth not consider it!

And empty man is bold, And the colt of a wild ass man is born.

For he hath known men of vanity, And He seeth iniquity, And one doth not consider it!

Sons of men! till when is my glory for shame? Ye love a vain thing, ye seek a lie. Selah.

Surely vanity God doth not hear, And the Mighty doth not behold it.

I declare thy righteousness, and thy works, And they do not profit thee.

I made great my works, I builded for me houses, I planted for me vineyards. I made for me gardens and paradises, and I planted in them trees of every fruit. I made for me pools of water, to water from them a forest shooting forth trees. read more.
I got men-servants, and maid-servants, and sons of the house were to me; also, I had much substance -- herd and flock -- above all who had been before me in Jerusalem. I gathered for me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces. I prepared for me men-singers and women-singers, and the luxuries of the sons of man -- a wife and wives. And I became great, and increased above every one who had been before me in Jerusalem; also, my wisdom stood with me. And all that mine eyes asked I kept not back from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labour, and this hath been my portion, from all my labour, and I have looked on all my works that my hands have done, and on the labour that I have laboured to do, and lo, the whole is vanity and vexation of spirit, and there is no advantage under the sun!

Let him not put credence in vanity, He hath been deceived, For vanity is his recompence.

for overswellings of vanity speaking, they do entice in desires of the flesh -- lasciviousnesses, those who had truly escaped from those conducting themselves in error,

and if I give away to feed others all my goods, and if I give up my body that I may be burned, and have not love, I am profited nothing.

He knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.

Man to vanity hath been like, His days are as a shadow passing by.

With reproofs against iniquity, Thou hast corrected man, And dost waste as a moth his desirableness, Only, vanity is every man. Selah.

Thus said Jehovah: What -- have your fathers found in Me perversity, That they have gone far off from Me, And go after the vanity, and become vain,

Iniquity he deviseth on his bed, He stationeth himself on a way not good, Evil he doth not refuse.'

The making of treasures by a lying tongue, Is a vanity driven away of those seeking death.

Only -- vanity are the low, a lie the high. In balances to go up they than vanity are lighter.

Whoso is loving silver is not satisfied with silver, nor he who is in love with stores with increase. Even this is vanity.

Lo, ye are trusting for yourselves On the words of falsehood, so as not to profit.

Thou, thou hast been shewn it, to know that Jehovah He is God; there is none else besides Him.

I have not sat with vain men, And with dissemblers I enter not.

The clean of hands, and pure of heart, Who hath not lifted up to vanity his soul, Nor hath sworn to deceit.

Sons of men! till when is my glory for shame? Ye love a vain thing, ye seek a lie. Selah.

I said in my heart, 'Pray, come, I try thee with mirth, and look thou on gladness;' and lo, even it is vanity.