The Teacher
Damion Suomi & The Minor Prophets Lyrics
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To explore by wisdom everything being done
Soon discovered God had tell tragic existance
That everything under the sun is meaningless
So I determined to distinguish wisdom from fools
Even this was just like chasing the wind
The greater my wisdom, oh the greater my grief
The smarter you get, oh the sadder you'll be
Vanity of vanities
All is meaningless
History repeating
It's all been done before
No matter how much we see
No matter how much we hear
We're never satisfied
Everything is so weary and so tiresome
It's better to be poor and wise in your youth
Than be a foolish king that refuses good advise
And those who love money never have enough
those who work hard sleep they well if they have little or much
Vanity of vanities
All is meaningless
History repeating
It's all been done before
No matter how much we see
No matter how much we hear
We're never satisfied
Everything is so weary and so tiresome
Headflies will cause even a bottle of perfume to stink
It does no good to charm a snake after he's bit
and it seems so tragic that one fate comes to us all
There's only hope for the living
Better a live dog than a dead
Vanity of vanities
All is meaningless
History repeating
It's all been done before
No matter how much we see
No matter how much we hear
We're never satisfied
Everything is so weary and so tiresome
Everything is so weary and so tiresome
The song "The Teacher" by Damion Suomi & The Minor Prophets is based on the biblical book of Ecclesiastes. The lyrics speak about the search for understanding through wisdom, only to find that everything under the sun is meaningless. The singer talks about their pursuit of knowledge to distinguish wisdom from foolishness, only to realize that it's like trying to chase the wind. The more they learn, the more they grieve, and the smarter they get, the sadder they become.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Vanity of vanities, all is meaningless" which is a direct quote from the book of Ecclesiastes. The singer observes that history repeats itself and that everything has already been done before. No matter how much they see or hear, they are never satisfied, and everything is so weary and tiresome. The second verse advises that it is better to be poor but wise than to be a foolish king who refuses good advice. The singer notes that those who love money never have enough, and those who work hard find little satisfaction.
The final verse of the song speaks about the inevitability of death and how it comes to all of us. The singer observes that even a bottle of perfume can stink if it's infested with headflies, and it's no use trying to charm a snake after it has bitten you. They conclude that there's only hope for the living, and it's better to be a live dog than a dead lion. Overall, the song reflects on the futility of trying to find meaning in life and the inevitability of death.
Line by Line Meaning
I devoted myself to the search for understanding
I dedicated my life to seeking knowledge and comprehension
To explore by wisdom everything being done
I used my wisdom to gain insight into all the actions taking place
Soon discovered God had tell tragic existance
I soon realized that God had revealed to us a sorrowful existence
That everything under the sun is meaningless
Everything in this world is ultimately futile
So I determined to distinguish wisdom from fools
I resolved to differentiate true wisdom from foolishness
Even this was just like chasing the wind
However, this endeavor proved as fruitless as pursuing something as intangible as the wind
The greater my wisdom, oh the greater my grief
The more knowledge I gained, the more sorrow I experienced
The smarter you get, oh the sadder you'll be
Intelligence leads to an increased sense of melancholy
Vanity of vanities
Empty, empty
All is meaningless
Nothing has true significance
History repeating
The past is being relived
It's all been done before
Everything has happened previously
No matter how much we see
No matter how much we observe
No matter how much we hear
No matter how much we listen
We're never satisfied
We remain perpetually discontent
Everything is so weary and so tiresome
Everything is exhausting and monotonous
It's better to be poor and wise in your youth
It is preferable to be young and wise, even if one is impoverished
Than be a foolish king that refuses good advise
Rather than being a foolish monarch who disregards sound guidance
And those who love money never have enough
Those who are avaricious will never be satisfied
those who work hard sleep they well if they have little or much
Those who labor diligently will rest well, regardless of their material possessions
Headflies will cause even a bottle of perfume to stink
Even a small annoyance can turn something pleasant into an unpleasant experience
It does no good to charm a snake after he's bit
It is pointless to try to rectify a situation that has already occurred
and it seems so tragic that one fate comes to us all
It is sorrowful that everyone will eventually meet the same fate
There's only hope for the living
One can only find hope while still living
Better a live dog than a dead
Being alive, even if in a difficult situation, is better than being dead
Vanity of vanities
Empty, empty
All is meaningless
Nothing has true significance
History repeating
The past is being relived
It's all been done before
Everything has happened previously
No matter how much we see
No matter how much we observe
No matter how much we hear
No matter how much we listen
We're never satisfied
We remain perpetually discontent
Everything is so weary and so tiresome
Everything is exhausting and monotonous
Everything is so weary and so tiresome
Everything is exhausting and monotonous
Contributed by Micah O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.