Ecclesiastes 4:8 “There is a man all alone, without even a son or brother. And though th…”

Ecclesiastes 4:8

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.

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

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.

World English Bible

There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. “For whom then do I labor and deprive my soul of enjoyment?” This also is vanity. Yes, it is a miserable business.

American Standard Version

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.

Geneva Bible 1599

There is one alone, and there is not a second, which hath neither sonne nor brother, yet is there none end of all his trauaile, neither can his eye be satisfied with riches: neither doeth he thinke, For whome doe I trauaile and defraude my soule of pleasure? this also is vanitie, and this is an euill trauaile.

Darby Translation

There is one [alone] and without a second; also he hath neither son nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour, neither is his eye satisfied with riches, and [he saith not], For whom then am I labouring, and depriving my soul of good? This also is vanity and a grievous occupation.

Young's Literal Translation

There is one, and there is not a second; even son or brother he hath not, and there is no end to all his labour! His eye also is not satisfied with riches, and [he saith not], 'For whom am I labouring and bereaving my soul of good?' This also is vanity, it is a sad travail.

Bible in Basic English

It is one who is by himself, without a second, and without son or brother; but there is no end to all his work, and he has never enough of wealth. For whom, then, am I working and keeping myself from pleasure? This again is to no purpose, and a bitter work.

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Cross references

“one”

Ecclesiastes 4:9–12 Genesis 2:18 Isaiah 56:3–5

Ecclesiastes 4:9–12 · BSB

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.

Genesis 2:18 · BSB

The LORD God also said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make for him a suitable helper.”

Isaiah 56:3–5 · BSB

Let no foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, “The LORD will utterly exclude me from His people.” And let the eunuch not say, “I am but a dry tree.”

“he hath”

Genesis 15:2 Genesis 15:3

Genesis 15:2 · BSB

But Abram replied, “O Lord GOD, what can You give me, since I remain childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”

Genesis 15:3 · BSB

Abram continued, “Behold, You have given me no offspring, so a servant in my household will be my heir.”

“no”

Isaiah 5:8

Isaiah 5:8 · BSB

Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field until no place is left and you live alone in the land.

“is his”

1 John 2:16 Proverbs 27:20 Ecclesiastes 1:8 Ecclesiastes 5:10 Habakkuk 2:5–9

1 John 2:16 · BSB

For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world.

Proverbs 27:20 · BSB

Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

Ecclesiastes 1:8 · BSB

All things are wearisome, more than one can describe; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear content with hearing.

Ecclesiastes 5:10 · BSB

He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile.

Habakkuk 2:5–9 · BSB

and wealth indeed betrays him. He is an arrogant man never at rest. He enlarges his appetite like Sheol, and like Death, he is never satisfied. He gathers all the nations to himself and collects all the peoples as his ow…

“For”

Luke 12:20 Psalm 39:6 Isaiah 44:19 Isaiah 44:20

Luke 12:20 · BSB

But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. Then who will own what you have accumulated?’

Psalm 39:6 · BSB

Surely every man goes about like a phantom; surely he bustles in vain; he heaps up riches not knowing who will haul them away.

Isaiah 44:19 · BSB

And no one considers in his heart, no one has the knowledge or insight to say, “I burned half of it in the fire, and I baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and I ate. Shall I make something detestable with the rest o…

Isaiah 44:20 · BSB

He feeds on ashes. His deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?”

“it is”

Ecclesiastes 1:13 Matthew 11:28 Ecclesiastes 2:23 Isaiah 55:2

Ecclesiastes 1:13 · BSB

And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a miserable task God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them!

Matthew 11:28 · BSB

Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Ecclesiastes 2:23 · BSB

Indeed, all his days are filled with grief, and his task is sorrowful; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile.

Isaiah 55:2 · BSB

Why spend money on that which is not bread, and your labor on that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of foods.

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

7Again, I saw futility under the sun.

9Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.

Read Ecclesiastes 4