Ecclesiastes 1:8

Exhaustion Contentment

⁶ The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.

⁷ All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.

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

⁹ The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

¹⁰ Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: All things are wearisome, more than one can describe; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear content with hearing.
KJV: All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
WEB: All things are full of weariness beyond uttering. 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.
DARBY: All things are full of toil; none can express it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
BLB: All the things [are] wearisome—a man is not able to speak; the eye is not satisfied from seeing, and the ear is not filled from hearing.

ÅB: Alle ting strever utrettelig, ingen kan utsi det; øyet blir ikke mett av å se, og øret blir ikke fullt av å høre.
OTB: Alle ting er slitende, mer enn man kan uttrykke. Øyet blir ikke mett av å se, og øret blir ikke fylt av å høre.
B1930: Alle ting strever utrettelig, ingen kan utsi det; øiet blir ikke mett av å se, og øret blir ikke fullt av å høre.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Proverbs 27:20
Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.
Read in context
Matthew 11:28
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Read in context
Ecclesiastes 4:8
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.
Read in context
Ecclesiastes 5:10–11
He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.
Read in context
Psalms 63:5
My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:
Read in context
Ecclesiastes 4:1–4
So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.
Read in context
Romans 8:22–23
For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Read in context
Revelation 7:16–17
They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.
Read in context