Ecclesiastes 4:8
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 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 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. |
In context
Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.
Original Hebrew words
| English | Hebrew | Say it | Strong's | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| there | יֵ֣שׁ | yesh | H3426 | there isאִיתַי (i.tay) 1) there is, there are 2) particle denoting existence |
| [was] one [person] | אֶחָד֩ | 'e-CHAD | H0259 | oneאֶחָד (e.chad) 1) one (number) 1a) one (number) 1b) each, every 1c) a certain 1d) an (indefinite article) 1e) only, once, once for all 1f) one...another, the one...the other, one after another, one by one 1g) first 1h) eleven (in combination), eleventh (ordinal) |
| and there not | וְאֵ֨ין | ve-'EIN | H0369 | nothingאַ֫יִן (a.yin) 1) nothing, not, nought n 1a) nothing, nought neg 1b) not 1c) to have not (of possession) adv 1d) without w/prep 1e) for lack of |
| [was] a second | שֵׁנִ֜י | she-NI | H8145 | secondשֵׁנִי (she.ni) 1) second 1a) second (the ordinal number) 1b) again (a second time) 1c) another, other (something as distinct from something else) |
| also | גַּ֣ם | gam | H1571 | alsoגַּם (gam) 1) also, even, indeed, moreover, yea 1a) also, moreover (giving emphasis) 1b) neither, neither...nor (with negative) 1c) even (for stress) 1d) indeed, yea (introducing climax) 1e) also (of correspondence or retribution) 1f) but, yet, though (adversative) 1g) even, yea, yea though (with 'when' in hypothetical case) 2) (TWOT) again, alike |
| a son | בֵּ֧ן | ben | H1121A | son: childבֵּן (ben) : child/son |
| and a brother | וָאָ֣ח | va-'ACH | H0251G | brother: male-siblingאָח (ach) : male-sibling 1) brother 1a) brother of same parents 1b) half-brother (same father) 1c) relative, kinship, same tribe 1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship) 1e) (fig.) of resemblance |
| not | אֵֽין־ | 'ein- | H0369 | nothingאַ֫יִן (a.yin) 1) nothing, not, nought n 1a) nothing, nought neg 1b) not 1c) to have not (of possession) adv 1d) without w/prep 1e) for lack of |
| and there not | וְאֵ֥ין | ve-'EIN | H0369 | nothingאַ֫יִן (a.yin) 1) nothing, not, nought n 1a) nothing, nought neg 1b) not 1c) to have not (of possession) adv 1d) without w/prep 1e) for lack of |
| [was] an end | קֵץ֙ | ketz | H7093 | endקֵץ (qets) 1) end 1a) end, at the end of (of time) 1b) end (of space) |
| to all | לְכָל־ | le-khol | H3605 | allכֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606) |
| toil his | עֲמָל֔וֹ | a-ma-LO | H5999 | troubleעָמָל (a.mal) 1) toil, trouble, labour 1a) trouble 1b) trouble, mischief 1c) toil, labour |
| also | גַּם־ | gam- | H1571 | alsoגַּם (gam) 1) also, even, indeed, moreover, yea 1a) also, moreover (giving emphasis) 1b) neither, neither...nor (with negative) 1c) even (for stress) 1d) indeed, yea (introducing climax) 1e) also (of correspondence or retribution) 1f) but, yet, though (adversative) 1g) even, yea, yea though (with 'when' in hypothetical case) 2) (TWOT) again, alike |
| eye his | עֵינ֖וֹ | ei-nav | H5869A | eyeעַ֫יִן (a.yin) : eye 1) eye 1a) eye 1a1) of physical eye 1a2) as showing mental qualities 1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.) |
| not | לֹא־ | lo'- | H3808 | notלֹא (lo) 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809) |
| it was satisfied | תִשְׂבַּ֣ע | tis-BA' | H7646 | to satisfyשָׂבֵעַ (sa.va) 1) to be satisfied, be sated, be fulfilled, be surfeited 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be sated (with food) 1a2) to be sated, be satisfied with, be fulfilled, be filled, have one's fill of (have desire satisfied) 1a3) to have in excess, be surfeited, be surfeited with 1a3a) to be weary of (fig) 1b) (Piel) to satisfy 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to satisfy 1c2) to enrich 1c3) to sate, glut (with the undesired) |
| wealth | עֹ֑שֶׁר | 'O-sher | H6239 | richesעֹ֫שֶׁר (o.sher) wealth, riches |
| and for whom? | וּלְמִ֣י׀ | u-le-MI | H4310 | who?מִי (mi) who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever |
| [am] I | אֲנִ֣י | 'a-NI | H0589 | meאֲנָא (a.na) I (first pers. sing. -usually used for emphasis) Aramaic of a.ni (אֲנִי, אָֽנֹכִ֫י "I" H0589) |
| a laborer | עָמֵ֗ל | 'a-MEL | H6001B | laboriousעָמֵל (a.mel) adj v toiling |
| and depriving | וּמְחַסֵּ֤ר | u-me-cha-SER | H2637 | to lackחָסֵר (cha.ser) 1) to lack, be without, decrease, be lacking, have a need 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to lack 1a2) to be lacking 1a3) to diminish, decrease 1b) (Piel) to cause to lack 1c) (Hiphil) to cause to be lacking |
| self my | נַפְשִׁי֙ | naf-SHI | H5315I | soulנֶ֫פֶשׁ (ne.phesh) 1) soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion 1a) that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man 1b) living being 1c) living being (with life in the blood) 1d) the man himself, self, person or individual 1e) seat of the appetites 1f) seat of emotions and passions 1g) activity of mind 1g1) uncertain 1h) activity of the will 1h1) uncertain 1i) activity of the character 1i1) uncertain |
| from good | מִטּוֹבָ֔ה | mi-to-VAH | H2896C | welfareטוֹבָה (to.vah) 1) welfare, benefit, good things 1a) welfare, prosperity, happiness 1b) good things (collective) 1c) bounty |
| also | גַּם־ | gam- | H1571 | alsoגַּם (gam) 1) also, even, indeed, moreover, yea 1a) also, moreover (giving emphasis) 1b) neither, neither...nor (with negative) 1c) even (for stress) 1d) indeed, yea (introducing climax) 1e) also (of correspondence or retribution) 1f) but, yet, though (adversative) 1g) even, yea, yea though (with 'when' in hypothetical case) 2) (TWOT) again, alike |
| this | זֶ֥ה | zeh | H2088 | thatדִּי (di) part of relation 1) who, which, that mark of genitive 2) that of, which belongs to, that conj 3) that, because |
| [is] futility | הֶ֛בֶל | HE-vel | H1892 | vanityהֶ֫בֶל (he.vel) 1) vapour, breath 1a) breath, vapour 1b) vanity (fig.) adv 2) vainly |
| and [is] a task of | וְעִנְיַ֥ן | ve-'in-YAN | H6045 | taskעִנְיָן (in.yan) occupation, task, job |
| evil | רָ֖ע | ra' | H7451A | bad: harmfulרַע (ra) : harmful adj 1) bad, evil 1a) bad, disagreeable, malignant 1b) bad, unpleasant, evil (giving pain, unhappiness, misery) 1c) evil, displeasing 1d) bad (of its kind-land, water, etc) 1e) bad (of value) 1f) worse than, worst (comparison) 1g) sad, unhappy 1h) evil (hurtful) 1i) bad, unkind (vicious in disposition) 1j) bad, evil, wicked (ethically) 1j1) in general, of persons, of thoughts 1j2) deeds, actions |
| it | הֽוּא׃ | Hu' | H1931 | he/she/itהוּא (hu) pron 3p s 1) he, she, it 1a) himself (with emphasis) 1b) resuming subj with emphasis 1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate) 1d) (anticipating subj) 1e) (emphasising predicate) 1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron 2) that (with article) |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.