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Ecclesiastes 4:8

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There is one [alone], and [there is] not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet [is there] no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither [saith he], For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This [is] also vanity, yea, it [is] a sore travail.

There is {H3426} one {H259} alone, and there is not a second {H8145}; yea, he hath neither child {H1121} nor brother {H251}: yet is there no end {H7093} of all his labour {H5999}; neither is his eye {H5869} satisfied {H7646} with riches {H6239}; neither saith he, For whom do I labour {H6001}, and bereave {H2637} my soul {H5315} of good {H2896}? This is also vanity {H1892}, yea, it is a sore {H7451} travail {H6045}.

the situation in which a solitary individual without a companion, with neither son nor brother, keeps on working endlessly but never has enough wealth. "For whom" [he should ask], "am I working so hard and denying myself pleasure?"This too is truly pointless, a sorry business.

There is a man all alone, without even a son or brother. And though there is no end to his labor, his eyes are still not content with his wealth: “For whom do I toil and bereave my soul of enjoyment?” This too is futile—a miserable task.

There is one that is alone, and he hath not a second; yea, he hath neither son nor brother; yet is there no end of all his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with riches. For whom then, saith he, do I labor, and deprive my soul of good? This also is vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.

Commentary

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Cross-References

  • 1 John 2:16 (10 votes)

    For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

  • Proverbs 27:20 (9 votes)

    ¶ Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

  • Luke 12:20 (7 votes)

    But God said unto him, [Thou] fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

  • Ecclesiastes 1:8 (6 votes)

    All things [are] full of labour; man cannot utter [it]: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

  • Ecclesiastes 1:13 (5 votes)

    And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all [things] that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.

  • Matthew 11:28 (5 votes)

    Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

  • Isaiah 5:8 (4 votes)

    ¶ Woe unto them that join house to house, [that] lay field to field, till [there be] no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!