Ecclesiastes 1:8All things are full of weariness beyond uttering. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
The setting
Jerusalem, ~950 BC. The wisest, richest man who ever lived sits surrounded by wealth, wives, achievements - and feels empty. Modern Israel/Palestine.
The emotion here: exhausted from pursuing endless desires
The original word
yāgēa' (יָגֵעַ) — exhausting labor that wears down the soul, not just physical tiredness
Why it matters
Solomon had 700 wives, 300 concubines, and unlimited wealth yet wrote about emptiness
Read with care
What most readers miss in Ecclesiastes 1:8
The man who 'had it all' is saying even unlimited resources can't satisfy
Common misconceptionPeople think this is just about being tired. Solomon is describing the soul-weariness that comes from trying to satisfy infinite desires with finite things.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Ecclesiastes 1:8
Bible Genome reading
Ecclesiastes 1:8 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Ecclesiastes 1:8 comes from the book of Ecclesiastes, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Solomon. The dominant emotion in this verse is grieving, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the wisdom genre of biblical literature. Key themes include weariness, insatiability. Notable phrases: all things are full of weariness; eye is not satisfied.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grieving
“By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you…”
— Genesis 3:19
“Jesus wept.”
— John 11:35
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”
— Psalms 22:1
“They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.”
— Psalms 22:18
“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
— Romans 3:23
Your reflection
What does Ecclesiastes 1:8 mean to you, today?
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