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Ecclesiastes 4

Eccl. 4:8 KJV (With Strong’s)

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8
There is
yesh (Hebrew #3426)
entity; used adverbially or as a copula for the substantive verb (1961); there is or are (or any other form of the verb to be, as may suit the connection)
KJV usage: (there) are, (he, it, shall, there, there may, there shall, there should) be, thou do, had, hast, (which) hath, (I, shalt, that) have, (he, it, there) is, substance, it (there) was, (there) were, ye will, thou wilt, wouldest.
Pronounce: yaysh
Origin: perhaps from an unused root meaning to stand out, or exist
one
'echad (Hebrew #259)
properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first
KJV usage: a, alike, alone, altogether, and, any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-)ly, each (one), + eleven, every, few, first, + highway, a man, once, one, only, other, some, together,
Pronounce: ekh-awd'
Origin: a numeral from 258
alone, and there is not a second
sheniy (Hebrew #8145)
properly, double, i.e. second; also adverbially, again
KJV usage: again, either (of them), (an-)other, second (time).
Pronounce: shay-nee'
Origin: from 8138
; yea, he hath neither child
ben (Hebrew #1121)
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like 1, 251, etc.))
KJV usage: + afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to, (+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, + kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+) people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, + spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.
Pronounce: bane
Origin: from {SI 11129}1129{/SI}
nor brother
'ach (Hebrew #251)
a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance (like 1))
KJV usage: another, brother(-ly); kindred, like, other. Compare also the proper names beginning with "Ah-" or "Ahi-".
Pronounce: awkh
Origin: a primitive word
: yet is there no end
qets (Hebrew #7093)
an extremity; adverbially (with prepositional prefix) after
KJV usage: + after, (utmost) border, end, (in-)finite, X process.
Pronounce: kates
Origin: contracted from 7112
of all his labor
`amal (Hebrew #5999)
toil, i.e. wearing effort; hence, worry, wheth. of body or mind
KJV usage: grievance(-vousness), iniquity, labour, mischief, miserable(-sery), pain(-ful), perverseness, sorrow, toil, travail, trouble, wearisome, wickedness.
Pronounce: aw-mawl'
Origin: from 5998
; neitheru is his eye
`ayin (Hebrew #5869)
an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)
KJV usage: affliction, outward appearance, + before, + think best, colour, conceit, + be content, countenance, + displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, + favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), X him, + humble, knowledge, look, (+ well), X me, open(-ly), + (not) please, presence, + regard, resemblance, sight, X thee, X them, + think, X us, well, X you(-rselves).
Pronounce: ah'-yin
Origin: probably a primitive word
satisfied
saba` (Hebrew #7646)
a primitive root; to sate, i.e. fill to satisfaction (literally or figuratively)
KJV usage: have enough, fill (full, self, with), be (to the) full (of), have plenty of, be satiate, satisfy (with), suffice, be weary of.
Pronounce: saw-bah'
Origin: or sabeay {saw-bay'-ah}
with riches
`osher (Hebrew #6239)
wealth
KJV usage: X far (richer), riches.
Pronounce: o'-sher
Origin: from 6238
; neither saith he, Forv whom do I labor
`amel (Hebrew #6001)
toiling; concretely, a laborer; figuratively, sorrowful
KJV usage: that laboureth, that is a misery, had taken (labour), wicked, workman.
Pronounce: aw-male'
Origin: from 5998
, and bereave
chacer (Hebrew #2637)
to lack; by implication, to fail, want, lessen
KJV usage: be abated, bereave, decrease, (cause to) fail, (have) lack, make lower, want.
Pronounce: khaw-sare'
Origin: a primitive root
my soul
nephesh (Hebrew #5315)
properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)
KJV usage: any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, X dead(-ly), desire, X (dis-)contented, X fish, ghost, + greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, X jeopardy of) life (X in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-)self, them (your)-selves, + slay, soul, + tablet, they, thing, (X she) will, X would have it.
Pronounce: neh'-fesh
Origin: from 5314
of good
towb (Hebrew #2896)
good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)
KJV usage: beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, X fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, X most, pleasant, + pleaseth, pleasure, precious, prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well ((-favoured)).
Pronounce: tobe
Origin: from 2895
? This is also vanity
hebel (Hebrew #1892)
from 1891; emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb
KJV usage: X altogether, vain, vanity.
Pronounce: heh'bel
Origin: or (rarely in the abs.) habel {hab-ale'}
, yea, it is a sore
ra` (Hebrew #7451)
bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)
KJV usage: adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, + displease(-ure), distress, evil((- favouredness), man, thing), + exceedingly, X great, grief(-vous), harm, heavy, hurt(-ful), ill (favoured), + mark, mischief(-vous), misery, naught(-ty), noisome, + not please, sad(-ly), sore, sorrow, trouble, vex, wicked(-ly, -ness, one), worse(-st), wretchedness, wrong. (Incl. feminine raaah; as adjective or noun.).
Pronounce: rah
Origin: from 7489
travail
`inyan (Hebrew #6045)
ado, i.e. (generally) employment or (specifically) an affair
KJV usage: business, travail.
Pronounce: in-yawn'
Origin: from 6031
.
u
Prov. 27:20• 20Sheol and destruction are insatiable; so the eyes of man are never satisfied. (Prov. 27:20)
;
1 John 2:16• 16because all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (1 John 2:16)
v
Psa. 39:6• 6Verily, man walketh in a vain show; verily they are disquieted in vain; he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. (Psa. 39:6)

More on:

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Soul; Spirit

Cross References

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Ministry on This Verse

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one.
Eccl. 4:9‑12• 9Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
 10For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, and who hath not another to lift him up!
 11Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one alone be warm?
 12And if a man overpower the one, the two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. (Eccl. 4:9‑12)
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Gen. 2:18• 18And Jehovah Elohim said, It is not good that Man should be alone; I will make him a helpmate, his like. (Gen. 2:18)
;
Isa. 56:3‑5• 3And let not the son of the alien, that hath joined himself to Jehovah, speak saying, Jehovah hath entirely separated me from his people; neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree;
 4for thus saith Jehovah: Unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and hold fast to my covenant,
 5even unto them will I give in my house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. (Isa. 56:3‑5)
he hath.
Gen. 15:2‑3• 2And Abram said, Lord Jehovah, what wilt thou give me? seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus.
 3And Abram said, Lo, to me thou hast given no seed, and behold, a son of my house will be mine heir. (Gen. 15:2‑3)
no.
Isa. 5:8• 8Woe unto them that add house to house, that join field to field, until there is no more room, and that ye dwell yourselves alone in the midst of the land! (Isa. 5:8)
is his.
Eccl. 1:8• 8All things are full of toil; none can express it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. (Eccl. 1:8)
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Eccl. 5:10• 10He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he that loveth abundance with increase. This also is vanity. (Eccl. 5:10)
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Prov. 27:20• 20Sheol and destruction are insatiable; so the eyes of man are never satisfied. (Prov. 27:20)
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Hab. 2:5‑9• 5And moreover, the wine is treacherous: he is a proud man, and keepeth not at rest, he enlargeth his desire as Sheol, and he is like death and cannot be satisfied; and he assembleth unto him all nations, and gathereth unto him all peoples.
 6Shall not all these take up a proverb about him, and a taunting riddle against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long?--and to him that loadeth himself with pledges!
 7Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and they awake up that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them?
 8Because thou hast plundered many nations, all the rest of the peoples shall plunder thee; because of men's blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city, and all that dwell therein.
 9Woe to him that getteth iniquitous gain to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the grasp of evil! (Hab. 2:5‑9)
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1 John 2:16• 16because all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (1 John 2:16)
For.
Psa. 39:6• 6Verily, man walketh in a vain show; verily they are disquieted in vain; he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. (Psa. 39:6)
;
Isa. 44:19‑20• 19And none taketh it to heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire, and have also baked bread upon the coals thereof, I have roasted flesh, and eaten it, and with the rest thereof shall I make an abomination? shall I bow down to a block of wood?
 20He feedeth on ashes; a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand? (Isa. 44:19‑20)
;
Luke 12:20• 20But God said to him, Fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee; and whose shall be what thou hast prepared? (Luke 12:20)
it is.
Eccl. 1:13• 13And I applied my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: this grievous occupation hath God given to the children of men to weary themselves therewith. (Eccl. 1:13)
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Eccl. 2:23• 23For all his days are sorrows, and his travail vexation: even in the night his heart taketh no rest. This also is vanity. (Eccl. 2:23)
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Isa. 55:2• 2Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. (Isa. 55:2)
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Matt. 11:28• 28Come to me, all ye who labour and are burdened, and *I* will give you rest. (Matt. 11:28)
• He sees a solitary one, absolutely alone, without kith or kin dependent on him, and yet he toils on, “bereaving his soul of good” as unceasingly as when he first started in life. Every energy is still strained in the race for those riches that satisfy not at all. “Vanity” is the Preacher’s commentary on the scene. (“Ecclesiastes 4” by F.C. Jennings)

J. N. Darby Translation

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8
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 occupationb.

JND Translation Notes

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b
Or "travail," as ch. 3.10.