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

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Study note

Setting — The Preacher addresses readers observing life under the sun, placing this vignette between the declaration of futility in Ecclesiastes 4:7 and the proverb about companionship in 4:9.

The words — אֵֽין (ein) = "not/there is no" and שֵׁנִ֜י (she.Ni) = "a second" frame the isolated man’s lack of kinship, emphasizing his complete relational absence.

The thread — The verse’s theme of insatiable accumulation echoes Proverbs 27:20, which notes the human eye is never satisfied, and aligns with 1 John 2:16’s warning against the desires of the eyes and pride of life, while Luke 12:20 illustrates the sudden termination of such hoarding.

Why it lands — The text states that a solitary worker toils endlessly yet finds no fulfillment in his wealth, asking the reader to recognize how isolation and greed produce a futile cycle that demands no emotional justification.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

יֵ֣שׁyeshthere אֶחָד֩'e.Chad[was] one [person]וְאֵ֨יןve./'Einand/ there not שֵׁנִ֜יshe.Ni[was] a second גַּ֣םgamalso בֵּ֧ןbena son וָאָ֣חva./'Achand/ a brother אֵֽין־'ein-notל֗וֹl/o[belonged] to <the>/ himוְאֵ֥יןve./'Einand/ there not קֵץ֙ketz[was] an end לְכָל־le./kholto/ all עֲמָל֔וֹa.ma.L/otoil/ his גַּם־gam-also עֵינ֖וֹei.na/veye/ his לֹא־lo'-not תִשְׂבַּ֣עtis.Ba'it was satisfied עֹ֑שֶׁר'O.sherwealth וּלְמִ֣י׀u./le./Miand/ for/ whom?אֲנִ֣י'a.Ni[am] I עָמֵ֗ל'a.Mela laborer וּמְחַסֵּ֤רu./me.cha.Serand/ depriving אֶת־'et-<obj.>נַפְשִׁי֙naf.Sh/iself/ my מִטּוֹבָ֔הmi./to.Vahfrom/ good גַּם־gam-also זֶ֥הzehthis הֶ֛בֶלHe.vel[is] futility וְעִנְיַ֥ןve./'in.Yanand/ [is] a task of רָ֖עra'evil הֽוּא׃Hu'it

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.

Cross-references

1 John 2:16 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 Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.
Luke 12:20 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?’
Ecclesiastes 1:8 All things are wearisome, more than one can describe; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear content with hearing.
Ecclesiastes 1:13 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 Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Genesis 2:18 The LORD God also said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make for him a suitable helper.”
Psalms 39:6 Surely every man goes about like a phantom; surely he bustles in vain; he heaps up riches not knowing who will haul them away.
Ecclesiastes 4:9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.
Ecclesiastes 5:10 He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile.