Ecclesiastes 1:8

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

All this monotony is tiresome; no one can bear to describe it: The eye is never satisfied with seeing, nor is the ear ever content with hearing.

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Prov 27:20 : 20 As Death and Destruction are never satisfied, so the eyes of a person are never satisfied.
  • Eccl 4:8 : 8 A man who is all alone with no companion, he has no children nor siblings; yet there is no end to all his toil, and he is never satisfied with riches. He laments,“For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is futile and a burdensome task!
  • Matt 11:28 : 28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
  • Eccl 4:1-4 : 1 Evil Oppression on Earth So I again considered all the oppression that continually occurs on earth. This is what I saw: The oppressed were in tears, but no one was comforting them; no one delivers them from the power of their oppressors. 2 So I considered those who are dead and gone more fortunate than those who are still alive. 3 But better than both is the one who has not been born and has not seen the evil things that are done on earth. 4 Labor Motivated by Envy Then I considered all the skillful work that is done: Surely it is nothing more than competition between one person and another. This also is profitless– like chasing the wind.
  • Rev 7:16-17 : 16 They will never go hungry or be thirsty again, and the sun will not beat down on them, nor any burning heat, 17 because the Lamb in the middle of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
  • Ps 63:5 : 5 As if with choice meat you satisfy my soul. My mouth joyfully praises you,
  • Rom 8:22-23 : 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers together until now. 23 Not only this, but we ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we eagerly await our adoption, the redemption of our bodies.
  • Eccl 5:10-11 : 10 Covetousness The one who loves money will never be satisfied with money, he who loves wealth will never be satisfied with his income. This also is futile. 11 When someone’s prosperity increases, those who consume it also increase; so what does its owner gain, except that he gets to see it with his eyes?
  • Eccl 7:24-26 : 24 Whatever has happened is beyond human understanding; it is far deeper than anyone can fathom. 25 True Righteousness and Wisdom Are Virtually Nonexistent I tried to understand, examine, and comprehend the role of wisdom in the scheme of things, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the insanity of folly. 26 I discovered this: More bitter than death is the kind of woman who is like a hunter’s snare; her heart is like a hunter’s net and her hands are like prison chains. The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is captured by her.
  • Matt 5:6 : 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
  • Prov 30:15-16 : 15 The leech has two daughters:“Give! Give!” There are three things that will never be satisfied, four that have never said,“Enough”– 16 the grave, the barren womb; earth has not been satisfied with water; and fire has never said,“Enough!”
  • Eccl 2:11 : 11 Yet when I reflected on everything I had accomplished and on all the effort that I had expended to accomplish it, I concluded:“All these achievements and possessions are ultimately profitless– like chasing the wind! There is nothing gained from them on earth.”
  • Eccl 2:26 : 26 For to the one who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner, he gives the task of amassing wealth– only to give it to the one who pleases God. This task of the wicked is futile– like chasing the wind!

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Eccl 1:9-11
    3 verses
    81%

    9What exists now is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing truly new on earth.

    10Is there anything about which someone can say,“Look at this! It is new!”? It was already done long ago, before our time.

    11No one remembers the former events, nor will anyone remember the events that are yet to happen; they will not be remembered by the future generations.

  • Eccl 6:7
    81%

    7All of man’s labor is for nothing more than to fill his stomach– yet his appetite is never satisfied!

  • Eccl 1:7
    80%

    7All the streams flow into the sea, but the sea is not full, and to the place where the streams flow, there they will flow again.

  • Eccl 1:13-15
    3 verses
    78%

    13I decided to carefully and thoroughly examine all that has been accomplished on earth. I concluded: God has given people a burdensome task that keeps them occupied.

    14I reflected on everything that is accomplished by man on earth, and I concluded: Everything he has accomplished is futile– like chasing the wind!

    15What is bent cannot be straightened, and what is missing cannot be supplied.

  • Eccl 8:16-17
    2 verses
    78%

    16Limitations of Human Wisdom When I tried to gain wisdom and to observe the activity on earth– even though it prevents anyone from sleeping day or night–

    17then I discerned all that God has done: No one really comprehends what happens on earth. Despite all human efforts to discover it, no one can ever grasp it. Even if a wise person claimed that he understood, he would not really comprehend it.

  • Eccl 2:10-11
    2 verses
    76%

    10I did not restrain myself from getting whatever I wanted; I did not deny myself anything that would bring me pleasure. So all my accomplishments gave me joy; this was my reward for all my effort.

    11Yet when I reflected on everything I had accomplished and on all the effort that I had expended to accomplish it, I concluded:“All these achievements and possessions are ultimately profitless– like chasing the wind! There is nothing gained from them on earth.”

  • Eccl 4:6-8
    3 verses
    75%

    6Better is one handful with some rest than two hands full of toil and chasing the wind.

    7Labor Motivated by Greed So I again considered another futile thing on earth:

    8A man who is all alone with no companion, he has no children nor siblings; yet there is no end to all his toil, and he is never satisfied with riches. He laments,“For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is futile and a burdensome task!

  • Eccl 1:2-3
    2 verses
    75%

    2Introduction: Utter Futility“Futile! Futile!” laments the Teacher,“Absolutely futile! Everything is futile!”

    3Futility Illustrated from Nature What benefit do people get from all the effort which they expend on earth?

  • Eccl 2:20-25
    6 verses
    75%

    20So I began to despair about all the fruit of my labor for which I worked so hard on earth.

    21For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; however, he must hand over the fruit of his labor as an inheritance to someone else who did not work for it. This also is futile, and an awful injustice!

    22Painful Days and Restless Nights What does a man acquire from all his labor and from the anxiety that accompanies his toil on earth?

    23For all day long his work produces pain and frustration, and even at night his mind cannot relax! This also is futile!

    24Enjoy Work and its Benefits There is nothing better for people than to eat and drink, and to find enjoyment in their work. I also perceived that this ability to find enjoyment comes from God.

    25For no one can eat and drink or experience joy apart from him.

  • Eccl 6:9-11
    3 verses
    75%

    9It is better to be content with what the eyes can see than for one’s heart always to crave more. This continual longing is futile– like chasing the wind.

    10The Futile Way Life Works Whatever has happened was foreordained, and what happens to a person was also foreknown. It is useless for him to argue with God about his fate because God is more powerful than he is.

    11The more one argues with words, the less he accomplishes. How does that benefit him?

  • Eccl 4:16
    74%

    16There is no end to all the people nor to the past generations, yet future generations will not rejoice in him. This also is profitless and like chasing the wind.

  • Prov 27:20
    74%

    20As Death and Destruction are never satisfied, so the eyes of a person are never satisfied.

  • Eccl 12:8
    74%

    8Concluding Refrain: Qoheleth Restates His Thesis“Absolutely futile!” laments the Teacher,“All of these things are futile!”

  • Eccl 3:9-12
    4 verses
    74%

    9Man is Ignorant of God’s Timing What benefit can a worker gain from his toil?

    10I have observed the burden that God has given to people to keep them occupied.

    11God has made everything fit beautifully in its appropriate time, but he has also placed ignorance in the human heart so that people cannot discover what God has ordained, from the beginning to the end of their lives.

    12Enjoy Life in the Present I have concluded that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to enjoy themselves as long as they live,

  • Eccl 5:16
    72%

    16This is another misfortune: Just as he came, so will he go. What did he gain from toiling for the wind?

  • Eccl 12:12
    72%

    12Concluding Exhortation: Fear God and Obey His Commands! Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. There is no end to the making of many books, and much study is exhausting to the body.

  • Eccl 5:10-11
    2 verses
    72%

    10Covetousness The one who loves money will never be satisfied with money, he who loves wealth will never be satisfied with his income. This also is futile.

    11When someone’s prosperity increases, those who consume it also increase; so what does its owner gain, except that he gets to see it with his eyes?

  • Eccl 4:4
    72%

    4Labor Motivated by Envy Then I considered all the skillful work that is done: Surely it is nothing more than competition between one person and another. This also is profitless– like chasing the wind.

  • Eccl 2:17
    72%

    17So I loathed life because what happens on earth seems awful to me; for all the benefits of wisdom are futile– like chasing the wind.

  • Eccl 11:8
    71%

    8So, if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all, but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many– all that is about to come is obscure.

  • Job 13:1
    71%

    1Job Pleads His Cause to God“Indeed, my eyes have seen all this, my ears have heard and understood it.

  • Eccl 9:3
    71%

    3This is the unfortunate fact about everything that happens on earth: the same fate awaits everyone. In addition to this, the hearts of all people are full of evil, and there is folly in their hearts during their lives– then they die.

  • Eccl 5:18
    70%

    18Enjoy the Fruit of Your Labor I have seen personally what is the only beneficial and appropriate course of action for people: to eat and drink, and find enjoyment in all their hard work on earth during the few days of their life which God has given them, for this is their reward.

  • Eccl 9:1
    70%

    1Everyone Will Die So I reflected on all this, attempting to clear it all up. I concluded that the righteous and the wise, as well as their works, are in the hand of God; whether a person will be loved or hated– no one knows what lies ahead.

  • Eccl 6:1
    70%

    1Not Everyone Enjoys Life Here is another misfortune that I have seen on earth, and it weighs heavily on people:

  • Eccl 3:22
    70%

    22So I perceived there is nothing better than for people to enjoy their work, because that is their reward; for who can show them what the future holds?

  • Eccl 1:17-18
    2 verses
    70%

    17So I decided to discern the benefit of wisdom and knowledge over foolish behavior and ideas; however, I concluded that even this endeavor is like trying to chase the wind!

    18For with great wisdom comes great frustration; whoever increases his knowledge merely increases his heartache.

  • Eccl 3:15
    70%

    15Whatever exists now has already been, and whatever will be has already been; for God will seek to do again what has occurred in the past.

  • Isa 32:3
    70%

    3Eyes will no longer be blind and ears will be attentive.