Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 4:7–8

⁷Again, I saw futility under the sun. ⁸There 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.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 4

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Ecclesiastes 4:7

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Again	וְשַׁ֧בְתִּי	wə·šaḇ·tî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular	H7725 turn back, return
I	אֲנִ֛י	’ă·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
saw	וָאֶרְאֶ֥ה	wā·’er·’eh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular	H7200 see
futility	הֶ֖בֶל	he·ḇel	Noun - masculine singular	H1892 vapour, breath
under	תַּ֥חַת	ta·ḥaṯ	Preposition	H8478 the under part
the sun	הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃	haš·šā·meš	Article; Noun - common singular	H8121 sun

Ecclesiastes 4:8

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
There is	יֵ֣שׁ	yêš	Adverb	H3426 being, substance, existence
a	אֶחָד֩	’e·ḥāḏ	Number - masculine singular	H259 one
man all alone	וְאֵ֨ין	wə·’ên	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
without	אֵֽין־	’ên-	Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
even	גַּ֣ם	gam	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
a son	בֵּ֧ן	bên	Noun - masculine singular	H1121 son
or brother	וָאָ֣ח	wā·’āḥ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H251 brother
And though there is no	וְאֵ֥ין	wə·’ên	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
end	קֵץ֙	qêṣ	Noun - masculine singular	H7093 end
to his labor	עֲמָל֔וֹ	‘ă·mā·lōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H5999 trouble, labour, toil
his eyes	עֵינָיו	ʿē·nå̄w	Noun - common singular construct; third person masculine singular	H5869 eye
are still	גַּם־	gam-	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
not	לֹא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
content	תִשְׂבַּ֣ע	ṯiś·ba‘	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H7646 be sated, satisfied, surfeited
with his wealth	עֹ֑שֶׁר	‘ō·šer	Noun - masculine singular	H6239 be or become rich
For whom	וּלְמִ֣י׀	ū·lə·mî	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Interrogative	H4310 who?
do I	אֲנִ֣י	’ă·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
toil	עָמֵ֗ל	‘ā·mêl	Noun - masculine singular	H6001 labourer, sufferer
and bereave	וּמְחַסֵּ֤ר	ū·mə·ḥas·sêr	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular	H2637 lack, need, be lacking, decrease
my soul	נַפְשִׁי֙	nap̄·šî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
of enjoyment	מִטּוֹבָ֔ה	miṭ·ṭō·w·ḇāh	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
This	זֶ֥ה	zeh	Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
too	גַּם־	gam-	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
is futile	הֶ֛בֶל	he·ḇel	Noun - masculine singular	H1892 vapour, breath
a miserable	רָ֖ע	rā‘	Adjective - masculine singular	H7451 bad, evil
task	וְעִנְיַ֥ן	wə·‘in·yan	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct	H6045 occupation, task

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Ecclesiastes 4:7 Ecclesiastes 4:1

Ecclesiastes 4:8 1 John 2:16 · Proverbs 27:20 · Luke 12:20 · Ecclesiastes 1:8 · Ecclesiastes 1:13 · Matthew 11:28 · Isaiah 56:3–5 · Ecclesiastes 5:10 · Isaiah 5:8 · Ecclesiastes 4:9–12 · Genesis 2:18 · Psalm 39:6

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.