meaningless ...utterly meaningless,” says the New International Version. Let us take a closer look at the Hebrew word translated “vanity”. It is the word hebel, whose basic meaning seems to be ‘breath’ or ‘vapour’. Always it points to something which is insubstantial or transitory or in some sense futile. It is frequently used in the Old Testament to describe the gods of other people, powerless idols (eg Jer. 8:19; 10:8). It can refer to any activity which seems to be pointless. There is, however, no