Parallel Verses
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.
New American Standard Bible
There was a certain man without a
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.
Holman Bible
There is a person without a companion,
International Standard Version
Consider someone who is alone, having neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his work, and he is never satisfied with wealth. "So for whom do I work," he asks, "and deprive myself of pleasure?" This, too, is pointless and a terrible tragedy.
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.
Amplified
There was a certain man—without a dependent, having neither a child nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches and he never asked, “For whom do I labor and deprive myself of pleasure?” This too is vanity (a wisp of smoke, self-conceit); yes, it is a painful effort and an unhappy task.
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.
Julia Smith Translation
There is one, and not a second; also a son and brother not to him: and no end to all his labor; also his eye shall not be satisfied with riches: and for whom do I labor and diminish my soul from good? Also this is vanity, and it is an evil labor.
King James 2000
There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he has neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labor; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither says he, For whom do I labor, and deprive my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a heavy travail.
Lexham Expanded Bible
Sometimes a man is all alone with no companion; he also has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eye is not satisfied with wealth. [He laments,] "For whom am I toiling and depriving {myself} of pleasure?" This also [is] vanity--it is an unhappy business!
Modern King James verseion
There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he has neither son nor brother; yet there is no end to all his labor; and his eyes are not satisfied with riches; and he says, For whom do I labor and take good from my soul? This is also vanity. Yes, it is an evil business.
Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale
There is one man, no more but himself alone, having neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of his careful travail, his eyes cannot be satisfied with riches. Yet, doth he not remember himself, and say, "For whom do I take such travail? For whose pleasure do I thus consume away my life?" This is also a vain and miserable thing.
NET Bible
A man who is all alone with no companion, he has no children nor siblings; yet there is no end to all his toil, and he is never satisfied with riches. He laments, "For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?" This also is futile and a burdensome task!
New Heart 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.
The Emphasized Bible
Here is one, without a second, even son or brother, he hath none, yet is there no end to all his toil, even his eye, is not satisfied with riches, - neither saith he For whom, am I toiling, and letting my soul want good? Even this, was vanity, yea a vexatious employment, it was!
Webster
There is one alone, and there is not a second; yes, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labor; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labor, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yes, it is a grievous labor.
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.
Youngs 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.
Themes
Company » Those that have no companionship
Eyes » Not satisfied with riches
Labour » fields of activity » Worldly, sometimes disappointing
Riches » Described as » Unsatisfying
Topics
Interlinear
'echad
Sheniy
'ach
`amal
`ayin
Saba`
`amel
Nephesh
References
Fausets
Morish
Word Count of 19 Translations in Ecclesiastes 4:8
Verse Info
Context Readings
Wealth Without Someone With Which To Enjoy It Is Futile
7 Then I came back, and I saw an example of what is to no purpose under the sun. 8 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. 9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their work.
Names
Cross References
Proverbs 27:20
The underworld and Abaddon are never full, and the eyes of man have never enough.
Ecclesiastes 1:8
All things are full of weariness; man may not give their story: the eye has never enough of its seeing, or the ear of its hearing.
Ecclesiastes 1:13
And I gave my heart to searching out in wisdom all things which are done under heaven: it is a hard thing which God has put on the sons of men to do.
Psalm 39:6
Truly, every man goes on his way like an image; he is troubled for no purpose: he makes a great store of wealth, and has no knowledge of who will get it.
Ecclesiastes 5:10
He who has a love for silver never has enough silver, or he who has love for wealth, enough profit. This again is to no purpose.
1 John 2:16
Because everything in the world, the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father but of the world.
Genesis 2:18
And the Lord God said, It is not good for the man to be by himself: I will make one like himself as a help to him
Genesis 15:2-3
And Abram said, What will you give me? for I have no child and this Eliezer of Damascus will have all my wealth after me.
Ecclesiastes 2:23
All his days are sorrow, and his work is full of grief. Even in the night his heart has no rest. This again is to no purpose.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their work.
Isaiah 5:8
Cursed are those who are joining house to house, and putting field to field, till there is no more living-space for any but themselves in all the land!
Isaiah 44:19-20
And no one takes note, no one has enough knowledge or wisdom to say, I have put part of it in the fire, and made bread on it; I have had a meal of the flesh cooked with it: and am I now to make the rest of it into a false god? am I to go down on my face before a bit of wood?
Isaiah 55:2
Why do you give your money for what is not bread, and the fruit of your work for what will not give you pleasure? Give ear to me, so that your food may be good, and you may have the best in full measure.
Isaiah 56:3-5
And let not the man from a strange country, who has been joined to the Lord, say, The Lord will certainly put a division between me and his people: and let not the unsexed man say, See, I am a dry tree.
Habakkuk 2:5-9
A curse on the cruel and false one! the man full of pride, who never has enough; who makes his desires wide as the underworld! he is like death; he is never full, but he makes all nations come to him, getting all peoples together to himself.
Matthew 11:28
Come to me, all you who are troubled and weighted down with care, and I will give you rest.
Luke 12:20
But God said to him, You foolish one, tonight I will take your soul from you, and who then will be the owner of all the things which you have got together?