For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.
All of a person's days are filled with pain, and their work brings only sadness. Even at night, their mind cannot find peace. This too is meaningless.
The writer is describing how human life is filled with constant worry and pain, with no real rest even in sleep, and concludes this reality is ultimately empty and meaningless.
📚 Historical Context
Ecclesiastes was written by King Solomon, a wise and wealthy king of ancient Israel, as he reflects on the meaninglessness of human efforts apart from God. In this verse, he describes the constant sorrow and unrest that come from a life dominated by toil and worldly pursuits, set against the backdrop of Israel's prosperous but often misguided quest for fulfillment. This highlights the book's overarching theme of vanity, warning that without divine purpose, life's labors lead to emptiness.
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