Meaning of vale of tears | Babel Free

Definitions

1. The world, a place where difficulties and the sorrows of life are felt, especially (Christianity) as a place to be left behind when one dies and goes to heaven.
   idiomatic, literary, often, poetic, singular
2. A particular place of sorrow or suffering.
   idiomatic, literary, often, poetic

Equivalents

Examples

“He [Vitus Theodorus] was called to be a Paſtor at Norinberg, his own⟳ country, [...] till it pleaſed God to put⟳ an end⟳ to his labors, by tranſlating him out of this vale of tears into his Everlaſting Kingdom, Anno Chriſti 1549.”

“While we ſojourn in this vale of Tears and Sorrow, we are detain'd from the bleſſ'd Sight and Enjoyment of God; and kept from the Happineſs of juſt Men made perfect.”

“But let⟳ us recommend⟳ all to god, who alone know⟳ what ſhall befal in this vale of tears, this evil world we have⟳ here, in which there is ſcarce any thing to be found without ſome mixture of iniquity, impoſture, or knavery.”

“Body o' me, it makes a man sick of his kind, ashamed to belong⟳ to the race⟳ of men, to see⟳ the envy that abounds in this here sublunary wale^([sic – meaning vale]) of tears!”

“We must not call⟳ earth a vale of tears. It is neither pious to do so, nor in any respect⟳ proper. We might as well, nay, with far greater propriety, call⟳ it a field of laughter.”

“I excused myself and dropped to the rear of the procession, sad at heart, willing to go hence from this troubled life, this vale of tears, this brief day of broken rest⟳, of cloud and storm, of weary struggle⟳ and monotonous defeat⟳; and yet shrinking from the change⟳, as remembering how long eternity is, and how many have⟳ wended thither who know⟳ that anecdote.”

“Driven by such a hope⟳, as if refusing to recognize this world as a vale of tears where (as they taught me) even injustice is foreordained by Providence to maintain⟳ the balance of things, whose design⟳ often eludes us, Salvatore journeyed through various lands, from his native Montferrat toward Liguria, then up through Provence into the lands of the King of France.”

“So it was steady as she goes as Sally was hustled into bed, and on the stroke of twelve a fourth Aintree child entered this vale of tears.”

“As we devour the Earth's resources and despoil the environment, we are driving ourselves into a metaphoric vale of tears.”

“That, in this pilgrimage of ſeventy years, / O'er rocks of perils, and through vales of tears, / Deſtin'd to march⟳, our doubtful ſteps we tend⟳, / Tir'd with the toil, yet fearful of its end⟳: [...]”

“If, friendleſs, in a vale of tears I ſtray, / Where briers wound, and thorns perplex my way, / Still let⟳ my ſteady ſoul thy goodneſs ſee, / And with ſtrong confidence lay⟳ hold⟳ on thee; [...]”

“But though life's valley be a vale of tears, / A brighter ſcene beyond that vale appears, / Whoſe glory with a light⟳ that never fades, / Shoots between ſcattered rocks and opening ſhades, / And while it ſhows the land⟳ the ſoul deſires, / The language of the land⟳ ſhe ſeeks, inſpires.”

“Jerusalem is the city of tombs; the valleys of Halcedoma and Jehoshephat are covered with them; and the living appear⟳ to have⟳ no other task assigned to them than that of keeping watch⟳ over these deposits of ashes. [...] Such are these places of lamentations—these vales of tears—these vast repositories of death.”

“[I]n the New World, Christianity had provided the major vehicle of cultural expression for the slaves. It could not be denied them in a Christian country—and it provided them with solace in their "vale of tears," guiding them through "the valley of the shadow."”

CEFR level