Vanity, Vanities "Vanity" does not often occur in the New Testament; but see VAIN, VAINGLORY. In Acts 14:15 we have mataios, "empty," translated "vanities" (of idols); mataiotes, "emptiness," "transitoriness" (Romans 8:20, "The creation was subjected to vanity," frailty, transitoriness); "emptiness," "folly" (Ephesians 4:17, 2 Peter 2:18).
Among other changes for "vanity" the Revised Version (British and American) has "iniquity" (Job 15:35, Psalms 10:7); "falsehood" (Psalms 12:2, Psalms 41:6); "deceit" (Psalms 144:8, Psalms 144:11); "vapor" (Proverbs 21:6); "calamity" (Proverbs 22:8 margin "vanity"); "a breath" (Isaiah 57:13); "wickedly" (Isaiah 58:9). Conversely, for "Wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?" (Psalms 89:47), "For what vanity hast thou created all the children of men!"; for "Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing" (Isaiah 41:29), "Behold, all of them, their works are vanity and nought," margin as the King James Version, with "nought" for "nothing."
W. L. Walker