Scripture · Old Testament
Ecclesiastes 4:8
Ecclesiastes 4:8 is verse 8 of Ecclesiastes chapter 4, shown here in the Berean Standard Bible.
Berean Standard Bible
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.
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.
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.
Read in context
Ecclesiastes 4:6–10 · Berean Standard Bible
6 Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and pursuit of the wind.
7 Again, I saw futility under the sun.
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.
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.
10 For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up!
Read all of Ecclesiastes 4Hebrew words
Data created by STEPBible.org based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Study Ecclesiastes 4:8
Cross-references
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge lists these related verses. Scripture text comes from the Berean Standard Bible.
Ecclesiastes 4:9Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.
Ecclesiastes 4:10For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up!
Ecclesiastes 4:11Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone?
Ecclesiastes 4:12And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Genesis 2:18The LORD God also said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make for him a suitable helper.”
Isaiah 56:3Let no foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, “The LORD will utterly exclude me from His people.” And let the eunuch not say, “I am but a dry tree.”
Isaiah 56:4For this is what the LORD says: “To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, who choose what pleases Me and hold fast to My covenant—
Isaiah 56:5I will give them, in My house and within My walls, a memorial and a name better than that of sons and daughters. I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off.
Genesis 15:2But Abram replied, “O Lord GOD, what can You give me, since I remain childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”
Genesis 15:3Abram continued, “Behold, You have given me no offspring, so a servant in my household will be my heir.”
Isaiah 5:8Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field until no place is left and you live alone in the land.
Ecclesiastes 1:8All things are wearisome, more than one can describe; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear content with hearing.
Ecclesiastes 5:10He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile.
Proverbs 27:20Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.
Habakkuk 2:5and wealth indeed betrays him. He is an arrogant man never at rest. He enlarges his appetite like Sheol, and like Death, he is never satisfied. He gathers all the nations to himself and collects all the peoples as his own.
Habakkuk 2:6Will not all of these take up a taunt against him, speaking with mockery and derision: ‘Woe to him who amasses what is not his and makes himself rich with many loans! How long will this go on?’
Habakkuk 2:7Will not your creditors suddenly arise and those who disturb you awaken? Then you will become their prey.
Habakkuk 2:8Because you have plundered many nations, the remnant of the people will plunder you— because of your bloodshed against man and your violence against the land, the city, and all their dwellers.
Habakkuk 2:9Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain, to place his nest on high and escape the hand of disaster!
1 John 2:16For 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.
Psalms 39:6Surely every man goes about like a phantom; surely he bustles in vain; he heaps up riches not knowing who will haul them away.
Isaiah 44:19And no one considers in his heart, no one has the knowledge or insight to say, “I burned half of it in the fire, and I baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and I ate. Shall I make something detestable with the rest of it? Shall I bow down to a block of wood?”
Isaiah 44:20He feeds on ashes. His deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?”
Luke 12:20But 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 1:13And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them!
Ecclesiastes 2:23Indeed, all his days are filled with grief, and his task is sorrowful; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile.
Isaiah 55:2Why spend money on that which is not bread, and your labor on that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of foods.
Matthew 11:28Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.