Ecclesiastes 4:8 - Easy To Read Version

⁸ A person might not have any family. He might not have a son or even a brother. But that person will continue to work very, very hard. That person is never satisfied with what he has. And he works so hard that he never stops and asks himself, “Why am I working so hard? Why don’t I let myself enjoy my life?” This is also a very bad and senseless thing.

Tuilleadh leaganacha

King James Version (Oxford) 1769

⁸ 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.

Amplified Bible - Classic Edition

⁸ Here is one alone–no one with him; he neither has child nor brother. Yet there is no end to all his labor, neither is his eye satisfied with riches, neither does he ask, For whom do I labor and deprive myself of good? This is also vanity (emptiness, falsity, and futility); yes, it is a painful effort and an unhappy business. [Prov. 27:20; I John 2:16.]

American Standard Version (1901)

⁸ 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.

Common English Bible

⁸ There are people who are utterly alone, with no companions, not even a child or a sibling. Yet they work hard without end, never satisfied with their wealth. So for whom am I working so hard and depriving myself of enjoyment? This too is pointless and a terrible obsession.

Catholic Public Domain Version

⁸ He is one, and he does not have a second: no son, no brother. And yet he does not cease to labor, nor are his eyes satisfied with wealth, nor does he reflect, saying: "For whom do I labor and cheat my soul of good things?" In this, too, is emptiness and a most burdensome affliction.

Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version

⁸ There is but one, and he hath not a second, no child, no brother, and yet he ceaseth not to labour, neither are his eyes satisfied with riches, neither doth he reflect, saying: For whom do I labour, and defraud my soul of good things? in this also is vanity, and a grievous vexation.

Ecclesiastes 4:8 Tagairtí Cros

Genesis 2:18

Then the Lord God said, “I see that it is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a person like him to help him.”

Psalm 39:6

Our life is like an image \{in a mirror\}. {\cf2\super [239]} \par We rush through life collecting things,\par but we don’t know who will get them\par \{after we die\}.\par

Psalm 39:7

So, Master, what hope do I have?\par You are my hope!\par

Proverbs 27:20

People are just like the grave. That place of death and destruction always wants more than it already has.

Ecclesiastes 1:13

I decided to study and to use my wisdom to learn about all the things that are done in this life. I learned that it is a very hard thing that God gave us to do.

Ecclesiastes 1:8

Words can’t fully explain things. {\cf2\super [3]} But people continue speaking. {\cf2\super [4]} Words come again and again to our ears. But our ears don’t become full. And our eyes don’t become full of the things we see.

Ecclesiastes 2:21

A person can work hard using all his wisdom and knowledge and skill. But that person will die and other people will get the things he worked for. Those people did not do the work, but they will get everything. That makes me very sad. That is also not fair and is senseless.

Ecclesiastes 2:23

All his life he has pain, frustrations, and hard work. Even at night, a person’s mind does not rest. This is also senseless.

Ecclesiastes 4:7

Again I saw something else that didn’t make sense:

Ecclesiastes 5:10

The person that loves money will never be satisfied with the money he has. The person that loves wealth will not be satisfied when he gets more and more. This is also senseless.

Ecclesiastes 5:9

Even the king is a slave—his country owns him. {\cf2\super [25]}

Isaiah 5:8

You people live very close together. You build houses until there is no place for anything else. But \{the Lord will punish you, and\} you will be made to live alone. You will be the only people in the whole land! {\cf2\super [49]}

Isaiah 55:2

Why waste your money on something\par that is not real food?\par Why should you work for something\par that does not really satisfy you?\par Listen very closely to me,\par and you will eat the good food.\par You will enjoy the food\par that satisfies your soul.\par

Matthew 11:28

“Come to me all you people that are tired and have heavy burdens. I will give you rest.

Luke 12:20

But God said to that man, ‘Foolish man! Tonight you will die. So what about the things you prepared for yourself? Who will get those things now?’

1 John 2:16

These are the \{evil\} things in the world: