Verse 8

There is one alone, without a second; yes, he has neither child nor brother, yet there is no end to all his labor, nor is his eye satisfied with riches, nor does he ask, 'For whom do I labor and deprive my soul of good?' This is also vanity, yes, it is a grievous toil.

Other Translations

• GT, oversatt fra Hebraisk

  Det finnes én som lever helt alene, uten sønn eller bror, og likevel tar slitet aldri slutt. Øynene hans blir heller ikke mette av rikdom. 'For hvem arbeider jeg for, og nekter meg selv glede?' Også dette er meningsløst og en vanskelig gåte.

• Moderne oversettelse av Bibelen fra 1611 KJV med hebraisk kontekst

  Det er én alene, og ingen annen; ingen sønn eller bror har han, men det er ingen ende på alt hans strev, heller ikke blir hans øyne tilfredsstilt med rikdom. 'For hvem arbeider jeg og fratar min sjel det gode?' Dette er også forgjeveshet, ja, en ond beskjeftigelse.

• Norsk King James

  Det er en som er alene, og det finnes ikke en annen; ja, han har verken barn eller bror; likevel er det ingen ende på alt hans arbeid, og øyet hans blir ikke tilfredsstilt med rikdom; han sier heller ikke: For hvem arbeider jeg, og fratar min sjel det gode? Dette er også tomhet, ja, det er en tung prøvelse.

• Modernisert Norsk Bibel 1866

  Det er en som lever alene uten noen andre, verken sønn eller bror, men det er ingen ende på alt hans arbeid, og hans øyne blir ikke mette av rikdom. Han spør seg ikke selv: 'Hvem arbeider jeg for og lar sjelen min gå glipp av det gode?' Også dette er tomhet og en ond strev.

• Oversettelse av hebraiske Bibeltekster til moderne norsk bokmål

  Det er en mann alene uten noen tilknytning, verken sønn eller bror, men det er ingen ende på arbeid hans, og øynene hans blir ikke mette av rikdom. For hvem sliter jeg, og nekter min egen sjel det gode? Også dette er tomhet og en uheldig slitasje.

• Bibelen: En Moderne Oversettelse av King James Version 1611

  Det er én alene uten noen annen; han har verken barn eller bror: likevel er det ingen ende på all hans møye, og hans øyne er ikke fornøyde med rikdom; han sier heller ikke: For hvem strever jeg og berøver min sjel det gode? Dette er også tomhet og en bitter møye.

• o3-mini KJV Norsk

  En er alene, og det finnes ingen annen; han har verken barn eller bror. Likevel tar arbeidet hans aldri slutt, øynene hans blir aldri mette av rikdom, og han spør aldri: 'For hvem arbeider jeg, og fratar min sjel det gode?' Dette er også tomhet, ja, et bittert strev.

• En Moderne Oversettelse av King James Version 1611 (mar 2025)

  Det er én alene uten noen annen; han har verken barn eller bror: likevel er det ingen ende på all hans møye, og hans øyne er ikke fornøyde med rikdom; han sier heller ikke: For hvem strever jeg og berøver min sjel det gode? Dette er også tomhet og en bitter møye.

• Lingvistisk bibeloversettelse fra grunntekst

  Der er én som er alene og ikke har noen annen, heller ikke sønn eller bror, og det er ingen ende på all hans slit; hans øyne blir ikke mette av rikdom. For hvem arbeider jeg, og berøver min sjel av det gode? Også dette er forgjeves og et vondt arbeid.

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  There was a man all alone. He had no son or brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. 'For whom am I toiling,' he asked, 'and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?' This too is meaningless—a miserable business!

• biblecontext

  { "verseID": "Ecclesiastes.4.8", "source": "יֵ֣שׁ אֶחָד֩ וְאֵ֨ין שֵׁנִ֜י גַּ֣ם בֵּ֧ן וָאָ֣ח אֵֽין־ל֗וֹ וְאֵ֥ין קֵץ֙ לְכָל־עֲמָל֔וֹ גַּם־עֵינ֖וֹ לֹא־תִשְׂבַּ֣ע עֹ֑שֶׁר וּלְמִ֣י ׀ אֲנִ֣י עָמֵ֗ל וּמְחַסֵּ֤ר אֶת־נַפְשִׁי֙ מִטּוֹבָ֔ה גַּם־זֶ֥‪ה הֶ֛בֶל וְעִנְיַ֥ן רָ֖ע הֽוּא׃", "text": "There is *ʾeḥād* and-*ʾên* *šēnî* also *bēn* and-*ʾāḥ* *ʾên*-to-him and-*ʾên* end to-all-*ʿămālô* also-*ʿênô* not-*tiśbaʿ* *ʿōšer* and-to-whom I *ʿāmēl* and-*məḥassēr* *ʾet*-*napšî* from-*ṭôḇāh* also-this *heḇel* and-*ʿinyan* *rāʿ* he", "grammar": { "*ʾeḥād*": "number, masculine singular - one (person)", "*ʾên*": "particle of negation - there is not", "*šēnî*": "ordinal number, masculine singular - second (person)", "*bēn*": "noun, masculine singular - son", "*ʾāḥ*": "noun, masculine singular - brother", "*ʿămālô*": "noun, masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix - his labor/toil", "*ʿênô*": "noun, feminine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix - his eye", "*tiśbaʿ*": "Qal imperfect, 3rd person feminine singular - it is satisfied", "*ʿōšer*": "noun, masculine singular - wealth/riches", "*ʿāmēl*": "Qal participle, masculine singular - laboring/toiling", "*məḥassēr*": "Piel participle, masculine singular - depriving/withholding from", "*napšî*": "noun, feminine singular + 1st person singular suffix - my soul", "*ṭôḇāh*": "noun, feminine singular - good/pleasure/happiness", "*heḇel*": "noun, masculine singular - vanity/breath/vapor", "*ʿinyan*": "noun, masculine singular - task/occupation/business", "*rāʿ*": "adjective, masculine singular - evil/bad" }, "variants": { "*ʾeḥād*": "one/alone/solitary person", "*šēnî*": "second/another/companion", "*ʿămālô*": "his labor/his toil/his effort", "*ʿênô lō-tiśbaʿ ʿōšer*": "his eye is not satisfied with riches/he is never satisfied with wealth", "*məḥassēr ʾet-napšî*": "depriving my soul/denying myself", "*ṭôḇāh*": "good things/pleasure/prosperity/happiness", "*ʿinyan rāʿ*": "evil task/grievous occupation/distressing business" } }

• GT, oversatt fra hebraisk Aug2024

  Det er en som er alene uten en annen, verken sønn eller bror, og det er ingen ende på alt hans strev, og hans øyne er ikke fornøyd med rikdom. Han sier ikke: ’Hvem arbeider jeg for og fornekter meg selv goder?’. Dette er også meningsløst og en vond plage.

• Original Norsk Bibel 1866

  Der er En eenlig og ikke selv anden, og haver hverken Søn eller Broder, dog er der ingen Ende paa alt hans Arbeide, og hans Øine mættes ikke af Rigdom, og (han siger ikke): Hvem arbeider jeg til og lader min Sjæl fattes det Gode? dette er ogsaa Forfængelighed, og det er en ond Møie.

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  There is one alone, and there is not a sond; 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.

• KJV 1769 norsk

  Det er én alene, uten noen sønn eller bror: likevel er det ingen ende på hans arbeid, og hans øyne blir ikke mette av rikdom; han sier heller ikke: For hvem arbeider jeg, og frarøver sjelen min det gode? Dette er også forgjengelighet, ja, en vondt strev.

• Norsk oversettelse av Webster

  Der er én som er alene og har verken sønn eller bror. Det er ingen ende på all hans slit, hans øyne blir ikke mett av rikdom. For hvem sliter jeg da, og berøver min sjel nytelse? Også dette er tomhet, ja, det er en elendig gjerning.

• Norsk oversettelse av Youngs Literal Translation

  Der er én alene uten noen andre, verken sønn eller bror har han, og det er ingen ende på alt hans arbeid. Hans øyne blir ikke mette av rikdom. 'For hvem arbeider jeg og berøver min sjel for godt?' Dette er også tomhet og et trist slit.

• Norsk oversettelse av ASV1901

  Det er en som er alene og ikke har noen sekund, ja, han har verken sønn eller bror, men det er ingen ende på alt hans arbeid, og heller ikke blir hans øyne tilfredsstilt av rikdom. For hvem da, sier han, arbeider jeg, og fratar min sjel det gode? Dette er også tomhet, ja, det er et smertefullt strev.

• Norsk oversettelse av BBE

  Det er én alene, uten følgesvenn, uten sønn eller bror; men det er ingen ende på alt hans arbeid, og han blir aldri fornøyd med rikdom. For hvem arbeider jeg da, og frarøver meg selv glede? Dette er også meningsløst og et surt arbeid.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  There is one man, no mo but himself alone, hauynge nether childe ner brother: yet is there no ende of his carefull trauayle, his eyes can not be satisfied with riches, (yet doth he not remembre himself, & saye:) For whom do I take soch trauayle? For whose pleasure do I thus consume awaye my lyfe? This is also a vayne and miserable thinge.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  There is one alone, & there is not a second, which hath neither sonne nor brother, yet is there none end of all his trauaile, neither can his eye be satisfied with riches: neither doeth he thinke, For whome doe I trauaile and defraude my soule of pleasure? this also is vanitie, and this is an euill trauaile.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  There is one man, no mo but himselfe alone, hauing neither childe nor brother, yet is there no ende of his carefull trauayle, his eyes can not be satisfied with riches: yet saith he not for whom do I take such trauayle? For whose pleasure do I thus consume away my life? This is also a vayne and miserable thyng.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  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.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. For whom then, do I labor, and deprive my soul of enjoyment? This also is vanity, yes, it is a miserable business.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  There is one, and there is not a second; even son or brother he hath not, and there is no end to all his labour! His eye also is not satisfied with riches, and `he saith not', `For whom am I labouring and bereaving my soul of good?' This also is vanity, it is a sad travail.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  It is one who is by himself, without a second, and without son or brother; but there is no end to all his work, and he has never enough of wealth. For whom, then, am I working and keeping myself from pleasure? This again is to no purpose, and a bitter work.

• World English Bible (2000)

  There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. "For whom then, do I labor, and deprive my soul of enjoyment?" This also is vanity. Yes, it is a miserable business.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  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!

Referenced Verses

• Prov 27:20 : 20 Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.
• Eccl 1:8 : 8 All things are full of labor; man cannot express it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
• Eccl 1:13 : 13 And I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this difficult task God has given to the children of man to be engaged with.
• Gen 2:18 : 18 And the LORD God said, It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.
• Ps 39:6 : 6 Surely every man walks in a vain show: surely they are troubled in vain: he heaps up riches, and does not know who shall gather them.
• 1 John 2:16 : 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father, but is of the world.
• Eccl 4:9-9 : 9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has not another to help him up. 11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat; but how can one be warm alone? 12 And if one prevails against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
• Eccl 5:10 : 10 He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he who loves abundance with increase; this also is vanity.
• Isa 5:8 : 8 Woe to those who join house to house, who lay field to field, till there is no place, that they may dwell alone in the midst of the earth!
• Isa 44:19-20 : 19 And none considers in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yes, also I have baked bread on the coals of it; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the rest of it an abomination? shall I fall down to the stump of a tree? 20 He feeds on ashes: a deceived heart has turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?
• Isa 55:2 : 2 Why do you spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance.
• Isa 56:3-5 : 3 Do not let the son of the foreigner, who has joined himself to the LORD, say, The LORD has utterly separated me from his people: nor let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. 4 For thus says the LORD to the eunuchs who keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; 5 Even unto them will I give in my house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.
• Hab 2:5-9 : 5 Indeed, because he transgresses by wine, he is a proud man, neither stays at home, who enlarges his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathers to himself all nations, and heaps to himself all people: 6 Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him who increases that which is not his! How long? And to him who loads himself with thick clay! 7 Shall they not rise up suddenly that will bite you, and awake that will vex you, and you shall be for plunder to them? 8 Because you have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the people shall plunder you; because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all who dwell therein. 9 Woe to him who covets an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!
• Matt 11:28 : 28 Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
• Luke 12:20 : 20 But God said to him, You fool, this night your soul shall be required of you; then whose shall those things be, which you have provided?
• Gen 15:2-3 : 2 And Abram said, Lord GOD, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? 3 And Abram said, Behold, to me You have given no offspring: and, lo, one born in my house is my heir.
• Eccl 2:23 : 23 For all his days are sorrowful, and his work is burdensome; even at night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.