[323]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - VANITAS VANITATUM – PART 1 of 3
This poem begins with the story of a man who is committed to so many things but in the end he became worn out and finally could not find fulfillment in what he was doing. He began to despair and could not see the purpose of life. Life has no purpose if you live selfishly but most importantly, satisfaction in life can only be found when your life is committed to God.
This is a long poem and after speaking about the man who could not find fulfillment, I then move to the body of the poem, which is based on the book of Ecclesiastes. We take up the message of the preacher. A lot of the material for the poem comes from Ecclesiastes.
The title “Vanitas Vanitatum” is the Latin for “Vanity of Vanities” – {{Ecclesiastes 1:2-3 “VANITY OF VANITIES,” says the Preacher. “VANITY OF VANITIES! ALL IS VANITY.” What advantage does man have in all his work which he does under the sun?”}}
All the work of man without the Lord’s direction is vanity because – {{1 Timothy 6:7 “for we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either,”}} meaning that if that is all there is to life then all is vanity. The following verse is much in line with the theme of Ecclesiastes – {{Ecclesiastes 1:14 “I have seen all the works that have been done under the sun, and BEHOLD, ALL IS VANITY and striving after wind.”}}
The world is full of farce and showmanship and the emptiness of Hollywood and the rock scene, night clubbing and worthless endeavours. People try one thing and another to find satisfaction but all is vain, that is, all is vanity in the end.
To go through life and right at the end you come up with this conclusion, it is very sad ? Ecclesiastes 2:11 “Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labour which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun”}}
For the man who has never made the Lord God his goal but instead pursues money and fame and pleasure and selfish independence, when his life closes and he looks back, all he sees is emptiness and vanity. It reminds me of the words of an older hymn being neglected these days by so many –
[[None by Christ can satisfy]]. Here is the chorus –
“Now none but Christ can satisfy,
None other name for me!
There's love and life and lasting joy,
Christ Jesus, found in Thee.”
Because this poem is too large for one posting I have had to split it into three parts. I hope you like it and are interested to see it through to the end.
=============================================================
VANITAS VANITATUM
A child was born into wealth in a middle class family.
He grew, was educated; and with companions, socialised.
He entered the corporate world and was successful in his work.
Ambition motivated him; his chances he optimised.
In time he married, had his family and raised a few kids;
Successful in business and life, but dismissive of death’s end.
He retired, and discovered himself in an empty space.
His work routine had concluded. On what now would he depend?
========================
He looked for fulfilment, and tried to broaden his mind with books,
Bookshelves, internet, study in intellectual pursuits.
Also he looked into jokes, comedy, laughter and pleasure,
But all that seemed emptiness, so he tried debates and disputes.
He ventured into nightclubs, then into pleasure and drinking.
Those things were as hot air so he tried physical construction.
A garden shed was built; the backyard improved, and gardens made.
He worked and worked, and strived for the best possible production.
========================
Later on he joined a local fruit growing society; local car rally
Volunteered at the local park maintenance quite frequently.
He bought a dog, and when the time allowed, he exercised it.
His remaining time saw him watch the stock market intently.
By and by, exhaustion overtook him, so he reassessed.
His life was like wind that came, and left in place nothing to find.
His life carried an emptiness he could not explain at all.
After all that work, nothing to satisfy was left behind.
========================
All he had done, all performed under the sun, was just grievous.
He hated what life was, its frustration and futility.
It concerned him much he’d leave behind his labour to others;
All that too, was emptiness, vanity and sterility.
The thought that his world’s goods might pass to a lazy, worthless son
Was a great evil, so much so, at night, his mind was restless.
All his labours under the sun, he considered too painful.
Men’s strivings under the sun, all are despairing and joyless.
========================
“Vanitas vanitatum,” said the preacher to his hearers.
“Vanity of vanities; all is vanity,” he proclaimed.
“This life is meaningless, full of sorrow, hardship and trouble.
We all are victims here under the sun,” the preacher explained.
“We are born, toil constantly, then like a shadow disappear.”
Where is the meaning we can understand to give us some sense?
Day after day the world marches on – men grow rich, others, poor.
Like no substance in a blown out eggshell, it is all pretence.
========================
“Vanity of vanities,” said the preacher to his hearers,
And thus he continued in proclamation and in discourse.
Wisdom exceeds folly as light excels darkness it swallows.
Cast the net and there are two types of fish, the fine and the coarse.
Death is the great equaliser for both the foolish and wise.
The wise man’s eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness.
The grave awaits ev’ryone, but the outcome is different.
One fate befalls both: the wise to light and the fool to blackness.
========================
The preacher completely despaired of the fruit of his labour.
He thought man’s best end was “eat, drink, and think his labour was good”.
He said that it was the gift of God to eat, drink, and to work.
He has set eternity in men’s hearts; to do right, men should.
God has made ev’rything to be appropriate in its time.
Under the sun, there is a time set down for created things:
A time to give birth, and a time to die; a time to sow seed;
A time to uproot what’s been planted, which once were young seedlings.
========================
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
A time to tear down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to throw stones, and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace, and a time to shun embracing;
A time to search, and a time to give up as lost;
A time to keep, and a time to throw away;
A time to tear apart, and a time to sew together;
A time to be silent, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate;
A time for war, and a time for peace.
========================
Everything God does will remain forever, and nothing
Can be added to it, and nothing can be taken away.
God has created all people, and therefore all should fear Him.
All go to the same place: made from dust; return to dust or clay.
The breath of man ascends upward, but that of beasts, goes downward.
There is one common fate for the righteous and the wicked one;
For the good and clean; for the unclean; the good man and sinner.
What terrible oppression is being done under the sun.
===========================================================
Ron Ferguson 28-31 December 2020 15 throughout ABCBDEFE