The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 1:8 Explained

Ecclesiastes 1:8

KJV: All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

YLT: All these things are wearying; a man is not able to speak, the eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor filled is the ear from hearing.

Darby: All things are full of toil; none can express it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

ASV: All things are full of weariness; man cannot utter it : the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

Discover Ecclesiastes 1:8

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Ecclesiastes 1:8?

MEANING: What does Ecclesiastes 1:8 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Ecclesiastes 1:8 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Ecclesiastes 1:8?

What is the context of Ecclesiastes 1:8?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

All things [are] full of labour; man cannot utter [it]: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

What does Ecclesiastes 1:8 Mean?

Context Summary

Ecclesiastes 1:1-18 - The Testimony Of An Unsatisfied Soul

All is vanity! This cry finds an echo in human hearts of every age and clime. Clod meant man to be happy. "These things," said our Lord, "I have spoken to you, that your joy may be full." "The fruit of the Spirit is joy." Yet the air is laden with complaint and bitterness. Men are asking constantly, "Is life worth living?" The present age is full of unrest and weariness, of war and strife, of unsatisfied yearnings and desires. The mistake is that men seek to solve the mystery of life and to find their happiness apart from God, who has made us for Himself.

This book was written and incorporated in the Bible to show that man's quest for happiness is vain, so long as it is apart from God. Solomon had unbounded opportunities for pursuing his quest. Youth, wealth, wisdom, royalty, human love were his, but when all were mixed in the golden cup of his life, he turned from the draught unsatisfied and sad. Listen to the sigh of the sated voluptuary: Vanity of vanities! Let us turn from these bitter experiences to 1 John 2:15-17. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ecclesiastes 1

¹ the preacher shows that all human courses are vain
⁴ because the creatures are restless in their courses
⁹ they bring forth nothing new, and all old things are forgotten
¹² and because he has found it so in the studies of wisdom

What do the individual words in Ecclesiastes 1:8 mean?

All things [are] wearisome nor cannot Man express [it] not is satisfied the eye with seeing nor filled the ear with hearing

כָּל־ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים יְגֵעִ֔ים לֹא־ יוּכַ֥ל אִ֖ישׁ לְדַבֵּ֑ר לֹא־ תִשְׂבַּ֥ע עַ֙יִן֙ לִרְא֔וֹת וְלֹא־ תִמָּלֵ֥א אֹ֖זֶן מִשְּׁמֹֽעַ

הַדְּבָרִ֣ים	things [are]
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural Root: דָּבָר Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
יְגֵעִ֔ים	wearisome
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural Root: יָגֵעַ Sense: weary, wearisome.
לֹא־	nor
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle Root: הֲלֹא Sense: not, no.
יוּכַ֥ל	cannot
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular Root: יָכֹל Sense: to prevail, overcome, endure, have power, be able.
אִ֖ישׁ	Man
Parse: Noun, masculine singular Root: אִישׁ Sense: man.
לְדַבֵּ֑ר	express [it]
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct Root: דָּבַר Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
תִשְׂבַּ֥ע	is satisfied
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular Root: שָׂבַע Sense: to be satisfied, be sated, be fulfilled, be surfeited.
עַ֙יִן֙	the eye
Parse: Noun, common singular Root: עֹונָה Sense: eye.
לִרְא֔וֹת	with seeing
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct Root: רָאָה Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
וְלֹא־	nor
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle Root: הֲלֹא Sense: not, no.
תִמָּלֵ֥א	filled
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular Root: מָלֵא Sense: to fill, be full.
אֹ֖זֶן	the ear
Parse: Noun, feminine singular Root: אֹזֶן Sense: ear, as part of the body.
מִשְּׁמֹֽעַ	with hearing
Parse: Preposition-m, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct Root: שָׁמַע Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.

What are the major concepts related to Ecclesiastes 1:8?

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Similar Scriptures for Ecclesiastes 1:8

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