Ecclesiastes 1:8

Ecclesiastes 1:8 in Multiple Translations

Berean Standard Bible BSB

All things are wearisome, more than one can describe; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear content with hearing.

King James Version KJV

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

American Standard Version ASV

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

Bible in Basic English BBE

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.

Free Bible Version FBV

Everything just keeps on going. You can't say all there is to say. You can't see all there is to see. You can't hear all there is to hear.

Geneva Bible 1599 GNV

All things are full of labour: man cannot vtter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the eare filled with hearing.

Young's Literal Translation 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.

World English Bible WEB

All things are full of weariness beyond uttering. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

Noah Webster Bible WBS

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

Douay-Rheims 1899 DRV

All things are hard: man cannot explain them by word. The eye is not filled with seeing, neither is the ear filled with hearing.

Translation for Translators T4T

Everything is boring, with the result that we do not even want to talk about it. We [SYN] see things, but we always want to see more. We [SYN] hear things, but we always want to hear more.

Study Highlights

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Berean Amplified Bible — Ecclesiastes 1:8

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Word Study

Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.

Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.

Ecclesiastes 1:8 Interlinear (Deep Study)

BIB

HEB כָּל הַ/דְּבָרִ֣ים יְגֵעִ֔ים לֹא יוּכַ֥ל אִ֖ישׁ לְ/דַבֵּ֑ר לֹא תִשְׂבַּ֥ע עַ֨יִן֙ לִ/רְא֔וֹת וְ/לֹא תִמָּלֵ֥א אֹ֖זֶן מִ/שְּׁמֹֽעַ

כָּל kôl H3605 all N-ms

הַ/דְּבָרִ֣ים dâbâr H1697 Chronicles Art | N-mp

יְגֵעִ֔ים yâgêaʻ H3023 weary Adj

לֹא lôʼ H3808 not Part

יוּכַ֥ל yâkôl H3201 be able V-Qal-Imperf-3ms

אִ֖ישׁ ʼîysh H376 man N-ms

לְ/דַבֵּ֑ר dâbar H1696 to speak Prep | V-Piel-Inf-a

לֹא lôʼ H3808 not Part

תִשְׂבַּ֥ע sâbaʻ H7646 to satisfy V-Qal-Imperf-3fs

עַ֨יִן֙ ʻayin H5869 eye N-cs

לִ/רְא֔וֹת râʼâh H7200 Provider Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a

וְ/לֹא lôʼ H3808 not Conj | Part

תִמָּלֵ֥א mâlêʼ H4390 to fill V-Niphal-Imperf-3fs

אֹ֖זֶן ʼôzen H241 ear N-fs

מִ/שְּׁמֹֽעַ shâmaʻ H8085 to hear Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a

Hebrew Word Study

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Hebrew Word Reference — Ecclesiastes 1:8

כָּל kôl H3605 "all" N-ms

The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.

Definition: 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

Usage: Occurs in 4242 OT verses. KJV: (in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever). See also: Genesis 1:21; Genesis 17:10; Genesis 41:40.

הַ/דְּבָרִ֣ים dâbâr H1697 "Chronicles" Art | N-mp

A word or thing, like a matter or affair, as seen in the book of Chronicles where it refers to the events and words of kings. It can also mean a cause or reason for something.

Definition: This name means word, speaking

Usage: Occurs in 1290 OT verses. KJV: act, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dearth, decree, deed, [idiom] disease, due, duty, effect, [phrase] eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-) ness, [phrase] glory, [phrase] harm, hurt, [phrase] iniquity, [phrase] judgment, language, [phrase] lying, manner, matter, message, (no) thing, oracle, [idiom] ought, [idiom] parts, [phrase] pertaining, [phrase] please, portion, [phrase] power, promise, provision, purpose, question, rate, reason, report, request, [idiom] (as hast) said, sake, saying, sentence, [phrase] sign, [phrase] so, some (uncleanness), somewhat to say, [phrase] song, speech, [idiom] spoken, talk, task, [phrase] that, [idiom] there done, thing (concerning), thought, [phrase] thus, tidings, what(-soever), [phrase] wherewith, which, word, work. See also: Genesis 11:1; Exodus 23:8; Deuteronomy 18:21.

יְגֵעִ֔ים yâgêaʻ H3023 "weary" Adj

This word describes someone or something that is tiresome or weary, like the Israelites after their long journey through the wilderness, as described in the book of Numbers.

Definition: weary, wearisome

Usage: Occurs in 3 OT verses. KJV: full of labour, weary. See also: Deuteronomy 25:18; 2 Samuel 17:2; Ecclesiastes 1:8.

לֹא lôʼ H3808 "not" Part

The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.

Definition: 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Usage: Occurs in 3967 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without. See also: Genesis 2:5; Genesis 31:15; Exodus 4:9.

יוּכַ֥ל yâkôl H3201 "be able" V-Qal-Imperf-3ms

This Hebrew word means to be able or have power, used in various contexts, such as overcoming or enduring, and is translated as 'be able' or 'have power' in the KJV.

Definition: 1) to prevail, overcome, endure, have power, be able 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be able, be able to gain or accomplish, be able to endure, be able to reach 1a2) to prevail, prevail over or against, overcome, be victor 1a3) to have ability, have strength Aramaic equivalent: ye.khel (יְכִל "be able" H3202)

Usage: Occurs in 182 OT verses. KJV: be able, any at all (ways), attain, can (away with, (-not)), could, endure, might, overcome, have power, prevail, still, suffer. See also: Genesis 13:6; 1 Kings 14:4; Psalms 13:5.

אִ֖ישׁ ʼîysh H376 "man" N-ms

The Hebrew word for man, referring to a male person or individual, is used in the Bible to describe humans in contrast to God or animals, as seen in Genesis and Psalms. It can also mean husband or servant. In the KJV, it is translated as man or male.

Definition: : man 1) man 1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female) 1b) husband 1c) human being, person (in contrast to God) 1d) servant 1e) mankind 1f) champion 1g) great man 2) whosoever 3) each (adjective)

Usage: Occurs in 1851 OT verses. KJV: also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phrase] steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy. Compare H802 (אִשָּׁה). See also: Genesis 2:23; Genesis 42:25; Exodus 32:23.

לְ/דַבֵּ֑ר dâbar H1696 "to speak" Prep | V-Piel-Inf-a

To speak or communicate, like God speaking to Moses in Exodus or a king commanding his people. It can also mean to promise or warn someone.

Definition: : speak/tell/command 1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing 1a) (Qal) to speak 1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to speak 1c2) to promise 1d) (Pual) to be spoken 1e) (Hithpael) to speak 1f) (Hiphil) to lead away, put to flight

Usage: Occurs in 1049 OT verses. KJV: answer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter, [idiom] well, [idiom] work. See also: Genesis 8:15; Exodus 12:25; Leviticus 23:9.

לֹא lôʼ H3808 "not" Part

The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.

תִשְׂבַּ֥ע sâbaʻ H7646 "to satisfy" V-Qal-Imperf-3fs

To satisfy means to fill someone with enough of something, like food or desire, and can also mean to have too much of something.

Definition: 1) to be satisfied, be sated, be fulfilled, be surfeited 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be sated (with food) 1a2) to be sated, be satisfied with, be fulfilled, be filled, have one's fill of (have desire satisfied) 1a3) to have in excess, be surfeited, be surfeited with 1a3a) to be weary of (fig) 1b) (Piel) to satisfy 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to satisfy 1c2) to enrich 1c3) to sate, glut (with the undesired)

Usage: Occurs in 93 OT verses. KJV: have enough, fill (full, self, with), be (to the) full (of), have plenty of, be satiate, satisfy (with), suffice, be weary of. See also: Exodus 16:8; Proverbs 12:11; Psalms 17:14.

עַ֨יִן֙ ʻayin H5869 "eye" N-cs

This word can mean a spring or fountain, but also refers to the eye or a source of something. It is often translated as affliction, outward appearance, or countenance, and is used in various contexts throughout the Bible.

Definition: : eye 1) eye 1a) eye 1a1) of physical eye 1a2) as showing mental qualities 1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)

Usage: Occurs in 828 OT verses. KJV: affliction, outward appearance, [phrase] before, [phrase] think best, colour, conceit, [phrase] be content, countenance, [phrase] displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, [phrase] favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), [idiom] him, [phrase] humble, knowledge, look, ([phrase] well), [idiom] me, open(-ly), [phrase] (not) please, presence, [phrase] regard, resemblance, sight, [idiom] thee, [idiom] them, [phrase] think, [idiom] us, well, [idiom] you(-rselves). See also: Genesis 3:5; Exodus 34:9; Deuteronomy 28:67.

לִ/רְא֔וֹת râʼâh H7200 "Provider" Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a

The Hebrew word for provider means to see or look after, and is used to describe God's care for his people. It appears in various forms throughout the Bible, including in Genesis and other books.

Definition: (Lord will) Provide, cause to be seen. This name means to see, look at, inspect, look after

Usage: Occurs in 1206 OT verses. KJV: advise self, appear, approve, behold, [idiom] certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), mark, meet, [idiom] be near, perceive, present, provide, regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one another), shew (self), [idiom] sight of others, (e-) spy, stare, [idiom] surely, [idiom] think, view, visions. See also: Genesis 1:4; Genesis 41:41; Exodus 33:13.

וְ/לֹא lôʼ H3808 "not" Conj | Part

The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.

תִמָּלֵ֥א mâlêʼ H4390 "to fill" V-Niphal-Imperf-3fs

To fill means to make something full or complete, like filling a container or fulfilling a promise. This word is used in many contexts, including being full of joy or having a job completed.

Definition: 1) to fill, be full 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be full 1a1a) fulness, abundance (participle) 1a1b) to be full, be accomplished, be ended 1a2) to consecrate, fill the hand 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be filled, be armed, be satisfied 1b2) to be accomplished, be ended 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to fill 1c2) to satisfy 1c3) to fulfil, accomplish, complete 1c4) to confirm 1d) (Pual) to be filled 1e) (Hithpael) to mass themselves against Aramaic equivalent: me.la (מְלָא "to fill" H4391)

Usage: Occurs in 242 OT verses. KJV: accomplish, confirm, [phrase] consecrate, be at an end, be expired, be fenced, fill, fulfil, (be, become, [idiom] draw, give in, go) full(-ly, -ly set, tale), (over-) flow, fulness, furnish, gather (selves, together), presume, replenish, satisfy, set, space, take a (hand-) full, [phrase] have wholly. See also: Genesis 1:22; 2 Chronicles 16:14; Psalms 10:7.

אֹ֖זֶן ʼôzen H241 "ear" N-fs

The Hebrew word for ear, referring to the body part or the ability to hear, is used in various contexts, including listening to God's voice in Psalm 40:6. It can also mean to uncover or reveal something, as in 1 Samuel 20:2.

Definition: : ear 1) ear, as part of the body 2) ear, as organ of hearing 3) (subjective) to uncover the ear to reveal; the receiver of divine revelation

Usage: Occurs in 179 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] advertise, audience, [phrase] displease, ear, hearing, [phrase] show. See also: Genesis 20:8; Psalms 40:7; Psalms 10:17.

מִ/שְּׁמֹֽעַ shâmaʻ H8085 "to hear" Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a

To hear and listen is what this Hebrew word means, often implying attention and obedience. In Exodus and Deuteronomy, it is used when God speaks to the people, and they must listen and obey.

Definition: : hear v 1) to hear, listen to, obey 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to hear (perceive by ear) 1a2) to hear of or concerning 1a3) to hear (have power to hear) 1a4) to hear with attention or interest, listen to 1a5) to understand (language) 1a6) to hear (of judicial cases) 1a7) to listen, give heed 1a7a) to consent, agree 1a7b) to grant request 1a8) to listen to, yield to 1a9) to obey, be obedient 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be heard (of voice or sound) 1b2) to be heard of 1b3) to be regarded, be obeyed 1c) (Piel) to cause to hear, call to hear, summon 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cause to hear, tell, proclaim, utter a sound 1d2) to sound aloud (musical term) 1d3) to make proclamation, summon 1d4) to cause to be heard n m 2) sound

Usage: Occurs in 1072 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] attentively, call (gather) together, [idiom] carefully, [idiom] certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, [idiom] diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), [idiom] indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, [idiom] surely, tell, understand, whosoever (heareth), witness. See also: Genesis 3:8; Exodus 32:18; Deuteronomy 27:9.

Study Notes — Ecclesiastes 1:8

Show Verse Quote Highlights

Context
Cross References
Ecclesiastes 1:8 Summary
Frequently Asked Questions
Reflection Questions
Gill's Exposition on Ecclesiastes 1:8
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Ecclesiastes 1:8
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Ecclesiastes 1:8
Trapp's Commentary on Ecclesiastes 1:8
Ellicott's Commentary on Ecclesiastes 1:8
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Ecclesiastes 1:8
Cambridge Bible on Ecclesiastes 1:8
Barnes' Notes on Ecclesiastes 1:8
Whedon's Commentary on Ecclesiastes 1:8
Sermons on Ecclesiastes 1:8

Context — Everything Is Futile

6The wind blows southward, then turns northward; round and round it swirls, ever returning on its course. 7All the rivers flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full; to the place from which the streams come, there again they flow.

8All things are wearisome, more than one can describe; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear content with hearing.

9What has been will be again, and what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. 10Is there a case where one can say, “Look, this is new”? It has already existed in the ages before us.

Cross References

	Reference	Text (BSB)
1	Proverbs 27:20	Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.
2	Matthew 11:28	Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
3	Ecclesiastes 4:8	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.
4	Ecclesiastes 4:1–4	Again I looked, and I considered all the oppression taking place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; the power lay in the hands of their oppressors, and there was no comforter. So I admired the dead, who had already died, above the living, who are still alive. But better than both is he who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun. I saw that all labor and success spring from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
5	Romans 8:22–23	We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time. Not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
6	Matthew 5:6	Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7	Psalms 63:5	My soul is satisfied as with the richest of foods; with joyful lips my mouth will praise You.
8	Ecclesiastes 2:26	To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
9	Ecclesiastes 7:24–26	What exists is out of reach and very deep. Who can fathom it? I directed my mind to understand, to explore, to search out wisdom and explanations, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the folly of madness. And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a net, and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is ensnared.
10	Revelation 7:16–17	‘Never again will they hunger, and never will they thirst; nor will the sun beat down upon them, nor any scorching heat.’ For the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd. ‘He will lead them to springs of living water,’ and ‘God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’ ”

Ecclesiastes 1:8 Summary

[This verse is saying that everything in life can get old and boring after a while, like watching the same movie over and over. Our eyes and ears can only take in so much before we start to feel empty and unsatisfied, as seen in Ecclesiastes 1:6-7. This is because we were made for more than just earthly pleasures, and our hearts are longing for something greater, as expressed in Psalm 42:1-2. By focusing on our relationship with God and seeking to glorify Him, we can find true satisfaction and fulfillment, as promised in John 10:10.]

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the verse mean by 'all things are wearisome'?

This phrase suggests that everything in life can become dull and unsatisfying, as seen in the cyclical nature of life described in Ecclesiastes 1:6-7, and reinforced by the concept of vanity in Ecclesiastes 1:2.

Why is the eye not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear content with hearing?

This is because human desires are insatiable, as expressed in Ecclesiastes 6:7, where it says that the eye is not satisfied with seeing, and this is a result of the fallen human nature described in Romans 3:10-18.

Is the weariness described in this verse a result of sin?

While sin is not explicitly mentioned in this verse, the Bible teaches that sin leads to futility and frustration, as seen in Romans 8:20, and the weariness described here may be a consequence of living in a fallen world, as described in Genesis 3:17-19.

How can I find satisfaction in a world where all things are wearisome?

The Bible teaches that true satisfaction and fulfillment can only be found in a relationship with God, as expressed in Psalm 16:11 and John 10:10, where Jesus promises to give us abundant life.

Reflection Questions

What are some things in my life that have become wearisome, and how can I find new joy and purpose in them?
How do I currently seek satisfaction, and are these pursuits truly fulfilling?
What are some ways I can cultivate a sense of contentment and gratitude in my daily life, despite the weariness that may surround me?
How can I use the truth of this verse to minister to others who may be struggling with feelings of weariness and dissatisfaction?

Gill's Exposition on Ecclesiastes 1:8

All things [are] full of labour,.... Or "are laborious" (g); gotten by labour, and attended with fatigue and weariness; riches are got by labour, and those who load themselves with thick clay, as

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Ecclesiastes 1:8

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

Matthew Poole's Commentary on Ecclesiastes 1:8

All things, not only the sun, and winds, and rivers, which I have mentioned, but all other creatures, are full of labour; both subjectively, as they are in continual restlessness and change, never abiding in the same state or place; and efficiently, as they cause great and sore labour to men, in getting, and keeping, and enjoying of them, yea, even in the study of them, as is noted hereafter. Man cannot utter it; the labour is inexpressibly and unconceivably great. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing; as there are many things in the world troublesome and vexatious to men’ s senses and minds, so even those things which are comfortable and acceptable to them are not satisfactory, but men are constantly desiring some longer continuance or fuller enjoyment of them, or variety in them, and they never say, It is enough, I desire no more. The eye and ear are here synecdochically put for all the senses, because these are most spiritual and refined, most curious and inquisitive, most capable of receiving satisfaction, because they are exercised with more ease and pleasure than the other senses, whose satisfactions are oft attended with greater weariness and manifold dangers and inconveniences.

Trapp's Commentary on Ecclesiastes 1:8

Ecclesiastes 1:8 All things [are] full of labour; man cannot utter [it]: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.Ver. 8. All things are full of labour.] Labor est etiam ipsa voluptas. Molestation and misery meet us at every turn. The whole world is a "sea of glass" (for its vanity), "mingled with fire" (for its vexation), -. Vota etiam post usum, fastidio sunt: All things are sweeter in the ambition than in the fruition. There is a singular vanity in this splendid misery. One well compares it to a beautiful picture, drawn with white and red colours in sackcloth, which afar off is very lovely, but near by it is like the filthy matter of a sore or wound, purulent rottenness, or the back of a galled horse. No man ever yet found any constant contentation in any state; yet may his outward appearance deceive others, and another’ s him. Man cannot utter it.] If Solomon cannot, no man can; for "what can the man do that cometh after the king?" The eye is not satisfied with seeing.] Though these be the two ‘ learned senses,’ as Aristotle calls them, whereby learning is let into the soul, yet no man knows so much but he would know more. Herillus, therefore, and those other philosophers that placed the happiness of a man in the knowledge of natural causes and events, were not in the right. There is a curse of dissatisfaction which lies upon the creature. The soul, that acts in and by the outward senses, flickers up and down, as Noah’ s dove did, but finds no firm footing; sharks and shifts from one thing to another for contentment, as the bee doth from flower to flower for honey, and desires still more things in number, and new things for manner. Hence the particles in the Hebrew that signify and and or, come of a word that signifieth to desire, because the desires of man would have this and that, and that and another; and doth also tire itself, not knowing whether to have this or that or that or the other, so restless it is, after utmost endeavours of plenary satisfaction, which this life affords not. Chiron, cum ob iustitiam Dii permitterent ut perpetuo viveret, maluit mori, quod offenderetur taedio rerum semper eodem tenore recurrentium. å and, à of àåä.

Ellicott's Commentary on Ecclesiastes 1:8

(8) This verse is capable of another translation which would give the sense “other instances of the same kind might be mentioned, but they are so numerous that it would be wearisome to recount them,” We abide by the rendering of our version.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on Ecclesiastes 1:8

Verse 8. All things are full of labour] It is; impossible to calculate how much anxiety, pain, labour, and fatigue are necessary in order to carry on the common operations of life. But an endless desire of gain, and an endless curiosity to witness a variety of results, cause men to, labour on. The eye sees much, but wishes to see more. The ear hears of many things; but is curious to have the actual knowledge of them. So desire and curiosity carry men, under the Divine providence, through all the labours and pains of life.

Cambridge Bible on Ecclesiastes 1:8

8. All things are full of labour] The Hebrew dabar may mean either “word” or “thing,” and so the sentence admits equally of this or the nearly equivalent rendering, All things are weary with toil and All words are feeble, and each gives, it is obvious, a fairly tenable meaning. The first generalizes as by an induction from the previous instances, that all things (especially, i. e. all human affairs) are alike “stale, flat and unprofitable.” The latter stops in the induction to say that all speech is feeble, that time and strength would fail to go through the catalogue. On the whole, looking to the fact that the verb “utter” is cognate in form with the word translated “things,” the latter seems more closely in harmony with the context. We might fairly express the force of the Hebrew by saying All speech fails; man cannot speak it. The seeming tautology gives the sentence the emphasis of iteration. So the LXX. and the Targum. the eye is not satisfied with seeing] The thought is limited by the context. It is not that the Debater speaks of the cravings of sight and hearing for ever-new objects, true as that might be; but that wherever the eye or the ear turn, the same sad tale meets them, the same paradox of an unvarying record of endless yet monotonous version. The state which Lucretius (ii. 1037) describes, probably as echoing Epicurus, that of one “fessus satiate videndi,” presents a parallelism too striking to be passed over.

Barnes' Notes on Ecclesiastes 1:8

All things ... utter it - This clause, as here translated, refers to the immensity of labor.

Whedon's Commentary on Ecclesiastes 1:8

8. This verse refers to these phenomena of nature. Things — Hebrew, words. In several ancient languages “word” has a secondary meaning — thing, affair.

Sermons on Ecclesiastes 1:8

	Sermon	Description
	1 John 2:16 by John Gill	John Gill emphasizes the dangers of worldly desires as outlined in 1 John 2:16, warning against the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. He explains that
	The Day That Will Right All Wrongs. by Horatius Bonar	Horatius Bonar emphasizes the hope of a future day when God will right all wrongs, drawing parallels between the desolation of Jerusalem and the current state of the world filled w
	Discipline & Devotion to His Word by Bishop M.A. Lalachan	Bishop M.A. Lalachan delves into the restlessness of the human heart, quoting Saint Augustine's profound words that our hearts are restless until they find rest in God. He emphasiz
	The Revival Hymn by Compilations	In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of the mission to spread the word of God. He shares a story about the Moravian missions and how their purpose was for the land
	Effectual Fervent Prayer by Corrie Ten Boom	In this sermon, the speaker begins by expressing their reliance on God's strength and their desire to be a channel for His living water. They then pray for various individuals, inc
	A Man of God by Leonard Ravenhill	This sermon reflects on a 70-year journey of faith, witnessing various church tragedies and worldly events, yet remaining steadfast by looking up to Jesus, reading the Word, and fo
	Reading From the Beatitudes by D.L. Moody	D.L. Moody emphasizes the profound blessings found in the Beatitudes, particularly focusing on the comfort promised to those who mourn and the meek. He explains that mourning signi