All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
Everything requires hard work and effort; it's more than anyone can fully describe. Our eyes are never satisfied with what they see, and our ears are never filled with what they hear.
The writer is saying that life is full of endless work and our human desires for more experiences and knowledge can never be completely satisfied.
📚 Historical Context
Ecclesiastes is traditionally attributed to King Solomon, a wise king of Israel in the 10th century BC, who reflected on the emptiness of life apart from God amid the prosperity of his era. In the book's opening, the author observes the repetitive and exhausting cycles of human existence, emphasizing how everything under the sun feels like endless toil. This verse specifically highlights the futility of seeking satisfaction through sensory experiences in a world that never fully fulfills.
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