Ecclesiastes 4:8
King James Version
10 Jun 2026
“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.”
נֶפֶשׁ
Life, soul, living being. Nephesh. The animating breath God places in every living creature. In animals it is the life force. In humanity it is the seat of emotion, will and identity. Every nephesh belongs to God — from the creatures in the sea to the deepest cry of the human heart.
הֶבֶל
is futility
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הֶבֶל
Vanity, breath, emptiness. Hebel. A breath that vanishes, emptiness. Ecclesiastes says everything apart from God is hebel. It looks solid but it is vapor. Only God endures.
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רַע
evil
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רַע
Evil, wicked, bad. Ra. The LORD will keep you from all evil. Not just some evil or most evil. All evil. His protection matches His power.
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בֵּן
a son
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בֵּן
Son. Ben. A son with full rights. You are sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Full rights. Full access. Full inheritance.
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עַיִן
eye/ his
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עַיִן
Eye, spring of water. Ayin. Open the eyes of my heart LORD. I lift my eyes to You who are enthroned in heaven.
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גַּם
also
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גַּם
properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...and
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יֵשׁ
there
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יֵשׁ
there is or are (or any other form of the verb to be, as may suit the connection)
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עָמָל
toil/ his
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עָמָל
toil, i.e. wearing effort; hence, worry, wheth. of body or mind
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שָׂבַע
it was satisfied
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שָׂבַע
to sate, i.e. fill to satisfaction (literally or figuratively)
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קֵץ
was an end
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קֵץ
an extremity; adverbially (with prepositional prefix) after
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עָמֵל
a laborer
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עָמֵל
toiling; concretely, a laborer; figuratively, sorrowful
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שֵׁנִי
was a second
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שֵׁנִי
properly, double, i.e. second; also adverbially, again
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עֹשֶׁר
wealth
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עֹשֶׁר
wealth
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