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.
There is a person who is completely alone, no companion, no children, no family. Yet he works endlessly without stopping. His eyes are never satisfied with the wealth he accumulates, and he never asks himself, 'Who am I working so hard for? Why am I depriving myself of enjoying life?' This too is meaningless, it's a painful way to live.
The writer is showing how meaningless it is to work endlessly for wealth when you're alone and never stop to enjoy life or ask why you're doing it.
📚 Historical Context
Ecclesiastes is a book in the Old Testament, traditionally attributed to King Solomon, who reflects on the meaninglessness of life without a God-centered perspective during the prosperous yet reflective era of ancient Israel. In this cultural context, where wealth and family ties were highly valued, the author critiques the endless pursuit of riches as ultimately empty, drawing from observations of human behavior in a society focused on material success. This verse fits into the broader narrative of the "Teacher" exploring life's vanities to urge readers toward wisdom and divine purpose.
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