Welcome to A Handful of Quietness, a devotional series published every Friday. The book of Ecclesiastes is often overlooked, but it offers wisdom for the discernment of joy and meaning in a seemingly dreary world.

 

A note on “הֶ֫בֶל” 

“Hevel”, which is often translated as “vanity” in English, is a word that warrants a short introduction. Literally meaning “vapor” or “mere breath”, the primary connotation is impermanence. In Ecclesiastes, all that is “under the sun” is ultimately as temporary as a wisp of smoke when viewed outside relationship to God.