33 Bible Verses about Useless Endeavour

"Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher; "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity."

"Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher. "All is vanity!"

For that which happens to the sons of men happens to animals. Even one thing happens to them. As the one dies, so the other dies. Yes, they have all one breath; and man has no advantage over the animals: for all is vanity.

Yes, if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that comes is vanity.

I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.

I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind.

Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and behold, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

So I hated life, because the work that is worked under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a chasing after wind.

For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

Then I saw all the labor and achievement that is the envy of a man's neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was -- yet those who come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

I said in my heart, "Come now, I will test you with mirth: therefore enjoy pleasure;" and behold, this also was vanity.

Then I said in my heart, "As it happens to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise?" Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity.

Who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all of my labor in which I have labored, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.

For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.

For all his days are sorrows, and his travail is grief; yes, even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.

There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. "For whom then, do I labor, and deprive my soul of enjoyment?" This also is vanity. Yes, it is a miserable business.

He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase: this also is vanity.

a man to whom God gives riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him no power to eat of it, but an alien eats it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.

So I saw the wicked buried. Indeed they came also from holiness. They went and were forgotten in the city where they did this. This also is vanity.

There is a vanity which is done on the earth, that there are righteous men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked. Again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.

Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but because of him who subjected it, in hope

They rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified to them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and [went] after the nations that were around them, concerning whom Yahweh had commanded them that they should not do like them.

He who tills his land shall have plenty of bread, but he who chases fantasies is void of understanding.

Therefore he consumed their days in vanity, and their years in terror.

so am I made to possess months of misery, wearisome nights are appointed to me.

Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself; for emptiness shall be his reward.

knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers,

Throw out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

but the children of the Kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."