All things are wearisome, more than one can describe;This phrase reflects the theme of vanity and the futility of human endeavors, a central message in Ecclesiastes. The Hebrew word translated as "wearisome" can also mean "full of labor" or "toilsome," indicating the burdensome nature of life. This sentiment echoes the curse of labor given to Adam in
Genesis 3:17-19, where toil and weariness became part of the human condition due to sin. The phrase suggests that human efforts, no matter how extensive, ultimately lead to exhaustion and dissatisfaction. This aligns with the broader biblical narrative that true rest and fulfillment are found only in God (
Matthew 11:28-30).
the eye is not satisfied with seeing,
This part of the verse highlights the insatiable nature of human desires. The eye, representing human curiosity and desire for new experiences, is never fully content. This can be connected to the story of Eve inGenesis 3:6, where the desire to see and know more led to the fall. The perpetual longing for more is a reflection of the human heart's search for meaning and purpose, which can only be truly satisfied in a relationship with God (Psalm 16:11). The dissatisfaction of the eye also points to the transient nature of worldly pleasures and the need for eternal perspective.
nor the ear content with hearing.
Similar to the eye, the ear symbolizes the human quest for knowledge and understanding. The ear's inability to be content suggests that no amount of information or wisdom can fully satisfy the human soul. This is reminiscent of the pursuit of wisdom by Solomon, the author of Ecclesiastes, who despite his vast knowledge, found it ultimately unfulfilling (1 Kings 4:29-34). The phrase underscores the limitations of human wisdom and the necessity of divine revelation for true understanding (Proverbs 2:6). It also foreshadows the coming of Christ, the Word made flesh, who provides the ultimate truth and satisfaction (John 1:14,John 6:35).
Persons / Places / Events
1.
Solomon- Traditionally considered the author of Ecclesiastes, Solomon was the son of King David and known for his wisdom, wealth, and writings.
2.
Jerusalem- The central place of worship and the setting for much of Solomon's life and reign.
3.
The Preacher (Qoheleth)- The voice in Ecclesiastes, often identified with Solomon, who reflects on the meaning and purpose of life.
4.
Ancient Israel- The cultural and historical context in which Ecclesiastes was written, providing insight into the worldview and spiritual struggles of the time.
5.
The Human Experience- The universal theme of seeking satisfaction and meaning, which transcends time and culture.
Teaching Points
The Nature of Human DissatisfactionThe verse highlights the insatiable nature of human desires. No matter how much we see or hear, we often remain unsatisfied. This reflects the fallen state of humanity and the futility of seeking fulfillment in worldly things.
The Limitations of Earthly PleasuresEarthly pleasures and experiences, while momentarily satisfying, ultimately leave us wanting more. This points to the need for a deeper, spiritual fulfillment that only God can provide.
The Call to Seek Godly ContentmentIn a world that constantly demands more, believers are called to find contentment in Christ. True satisfaction comes from a relationship with God, not from the endless pursuit of worldly experiences.
The Importance of Spiritual DiscernmentAs believers, we must discern the difference between temporary pleasures and eternal joy. This requires a focus on spiritual growth and a commitment to living according to God's will.
The Role of Wisdom in Navigating Life's WearinessWisdom, as exemplified by Solomon, helps us navigate the weariness of life. By seeking God's wisdom, we can find purpose and meaning beyond the superficial.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Ecclesiastes 1:8?
2.How does Ecclesiastes 1:8 reveal the futility of human pursuits without God?
3.What does "all things are wearisome" teach about worldly satisfaction?
4.How can Ecclesiastes 1:8 guide us in seeking true fulfillment in Christ?
5.Connect Ecclesiastes 1:8 with Matthew 6:33 on prioritizing God's kingdom.
6.How can we apply Ecclesiastes 1:8 to our daily contentment and gratitude?
7.What does Ecclesiastes 1:8 mean by "All things are wearisome"?
8.How does Ecclesiastes 1:8 challenge the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom?
9.Why does Ecclesiastes 1:8 suggest that human desires are never satisfied?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Ecclesiastes 1?
11.Why does prayer not heal amputees?
12.Ecclesiastes 1:9 – In light of countless historical inventions and discoveries, how can the claim “there is nothing new under the sun” be taken literally?
13.Does the author's emphasis on the limitation of human understanding in Ecclesiastes 8:16-17 conflict with other biblical texts that claim revelations of divine mysteries?
14.In Job 24:1, why does God allow human injustice to continue unchecked, contradicting His supposed omnipotence?What Does Ecclesiastes 1:8 Mean
All things are wearisome• Solomon opens with a blunt observation: everything in the created order—work, relationships, even nature’s rhythms—produces fatigue.
• This echoesGenesis 3:17-19, where the fall introduces toil and sweat into human experience.
•Romans 8:20-22 confirms that “creation was subjected to futility,” groaning under the same burden.
• The statement is literal; nothing in daily life escapes the drain of entropy and effort.
more than one can describe• The weariness runs deeper than language can capture. Words run out long before examples do.
•Psalm 40:5 confesses, “Your wonders… too many to declare,” andJohn 21:25 notes that books could not contain all Jesus did—illustrating how experience often exceeds expression.
• Solomon’s point: fatigue is so pervasive that no ledger can tally it.
the eye is not satisfied with seeing• Our visual appetite feels bottomless. New sights, screens, and experiences promise fulfillment but never deliver lasting rest.
•Proverbs 27:20 states, “Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, and neither are the eyes of man.”
•1 John 2:16 warns of “the lust of the eyes,” andLuke 11:34 ties a restless eye to an unhealthy heart.
• Only beholding the Lord’s beauty—Psalm 27:4—brings true contentment.
nor the ear content with hearing• Just as eyes crave images, ears crave words—news, music, gossip, teaching. The moment the sound ends, we reach for another.
•Acts 17:21 portrays Athenians “spending their time… telling or hearing something new,” and2 Timothy 4:3 speaks of people with “itching ears” accumulating teachers to suit their desires.
• Faith comes by hearing God’s Word (Romans 10:17); apart from that, the ear keeps hunting but never rests.
summaryEcclesiastes 1:8 paints a literal portrait of a fallen world: everything we touch drains us, and our senses—though gifts of God—become bottomless pits when severed from Him. The verse drives home our need for a satisfaction that toil, sights, and sounds cannot supply. Only the Creator, not the created, can quiet the weary soul.
(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.
Verse 8. -
All things are full of labor. Taking the word
dabar in the sense of "ward" (compare the Greek
ῤῆμα), the LXX. translates, "All words are wearisome;"
i.
e. to go through the whole catalogue of such things as those mentioned in the preceding verses would be a laborious and unprofitable task. The Targum and many modern expositors approve this rendering. But besides that, the word
yaged implies suffering, not causing, weariness (
Deuteronomy 25:18;
Job 3:17); the run of the sentence is unnecessarily interrupted by such an assertion, when one is expecting a conclusion from the instances given above. The Vulgate has,
cunetse res difficiles. The idea, as Motais has seen, is this - Man's life is constrained by the same law as his surroundings; he goes on his course subject to influences which he cannot control; in spite of his efforts, he can never be independent. This conclusion is developed in succeeding verses. In the present verse the proposition with which it starts is explained by what follows. All things have been the object of much labor; men have elaborately examined everything; yet the result is most unsatisfactory, the end is not reached; words cannot express it, neither eye nor ear can apprehend it. This is the view of St. Jerome, who writes, "Non solum do physicis, sed de ethicis quoque scirc difficile est. Nec sermo valet explicare causas natu-rasque rerum, nec oculus, ut rei poscit dignitas, intueri, nec auris, instituente doctore, ad summam scientiam pervenirc. Si enim nunc 'per speculum videmus in aenigmate; et ex parte cognoscimus, et ex parte prophetamus,' consequenter nec sermo potest explicate quod nescit; nec oculus in quo caecutit, aspiecre; nec auris, de quo dubitat, impleri." Delitzsch, Nowack, Wright, and others render, "All things are in restless activity;"
i.
e. constant movement pervades the whole world, and yet no visible conclusion is attained. This, however true, does not seem to be the point insisted on by the author, whose intention is, as we have said, to show that man, like nature, is confined to a circle from which he cannot free himself; and though he uses all the powers with, which he is endowed to penetrate the enigma of life and to rise superior to his environments, he is wholly unable to effect anything in these matters.
Man cannot utter it. He cannot explain all things. Koheleth does not affirm that man can know nothing, that he can attain to no certitude, that reason will not teach him to apprehend any truth; his contention is that the inner cause and meaning elude his faculties, that his knowledge is concerned only with accidents and externals, and that there is still some depth which his powers cannot fathom.
The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. Use his eight as he may, listen to the sounds around him, attend to the instructions of professed teachers, man makes no real advance in knowledge of the mysteries in which he is involved; the paradox is inexplicable. We have, in
Proverbs 27:20, "Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; and the eyes of man are never satisfied." Plumptre quotes Lucretins's expression (2. 1038)," Fessus satiate videndi." "Remember," says Thomas a Kempis ('De Imitat.,' 1:1.5), "the proverb, that the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear with hearing. Eudeavour, therefore, to withdraw thy heart from the love of visible things, and to transfer thyself to the invisible. For they that follow their sensuality do stain their conscience and lose the grace of God."
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
Allכָּל־(kāl-)Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605:The whole, all, any, everythingsהַדְּבָרִ֣ים(had·də·ḇā·rîm)Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1697:A word, a matter, thing, a causeare wearisome,יְגֵעִ֔ים(yə·ḡê·‘îm)Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 3023:Weary, wearisomemoreלֹא־(lō-)Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808:Not, nothan oneאִ֖ישׁ(’îš)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376:A man as an individual, a male personcan describe;לְדַבֵּ֑ר(lə·ḏab·bêr)Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct
Strong's 1696:To arrange, to speak, to subduethe eyeעַ֙יִן֙(‘a·yin)Noun - common singular
Strong's 5869:An eye, a fountainis notלֹא־(lō-)Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808:Not, nosatisfiedתִשְׂבַּ֥ע(ṯiś·ba‘)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 7646:To be sated, satisfied or surfeitedwith seeing,לִרְא֔וֹת(lir·’ō·wṯ)Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 7200:To seenorוְלֹא־(wə·lō-)Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808:Not, nothe earאֹ֖זֶן(’ō·zen)Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 241:Broadness, the earcontentתִמָּלֵ֥א(ṯim·mā·lê)Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 4390:To fill, be full ofwith hearing.מִשְּׁמֹֽעַ׃(miš·šə·mō·a‘)Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 8085:To hear intelligently
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OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 1:8 All things are full of weariness beyond (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.) 
