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Ecclesiastes 1:3

New American Standard Bible (NASB ©1995) [2]
— What advantage does man have in all his work Which he does under the sun?
King James Version (KJV 1769) [2]
— What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
English Revised Version (ERV 1885)
— What profit hath man of all his labour wherein he laboureth under the sun?
American Standard Version (ASV 1901) [2]
— What profit hath man of all his labor wherein he laboreth under the sun?
Webster's Revision of the KJB (WEB 1833)
— What profit hath a man of all his labor, which he taketh under the sun?
Darby's Translation (DBY 1890)
— What profit hath man of all his labour wherewith he laboureth under the sun?
Rotherham's Emphasized Bible (EBR 1902)
— What profit hath Man, in all his toil wherewith he toileth under the sun?
Young's Literal Translation (YLT 1898)
— What advantage [is] to man by all his labour that he laboureth at under the sun?
Douay-Rheims Challoner Revision (DR 1750)
— What hath a man more of all his labour, that he taketh under the sun?
Geneva Bible (GNV 1560)
— What remaineth vnto man in all his trauaile, which he suffereth vnder ye sunne?
Original King James Bible (AV 1611) [2]
— What profite [hath] a man of all his labour which hee taketh vnder the Sunne?
Lamsa Bible (1957)
— What profit has a man of all his labor at which he toils under the sun?
Brenton Greek Septuagint (LXX, Restored Names)
— What advantage [is there] to a man in all his labour that he takes under the sun?
Full Hebrew Names / Holy Name KJV (2008) [2] [3]
— What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?

Strong's Numbers & Hebrew NamesHebrew Old TestamentColor-Code/Key Word Studies
What x4100
(4100) Complement
מָּה
mah
{maw}
A primitive particle; properly interrogitive what? (including how?, why? and when?); but also exclamations like what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjugational senses.
profit 3504
{3504} Prime
יִתְרוֹן
yithrown
{yith-rone'}
From H3498; preeminence, gain.
hath a man 120
{0120} Prime
אָדָם
'adam
{aw-dawm'}
From H0119; ruddy, that is, a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.).
of all x3605
(3605) Complement
כֹּל
kol
{kole}
From H3634; properly the whole; hence all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense).
his labour 5999
{5999} Prime
עָמָל
`amal
{aw-mawl'}
From H5998; toil, that is, wearing effort; hence worry, whether of body or mind.
which he taketh 5998
{5998} Prime
עָמַל
`amal
{aw-mal'}
A primitive root; to toil, that is, work severely and with irksomeness.
z8799
<8799> Grammar
Stem - Qal (See H8851)
Mood - Imperfect (See H8811)
Count - 19885
x7945
(7945) Complement
שֶׁל
shel
{shel}
For the relative H0834; used with prepositional prefix, and often followed by some pronoun affixed; on account of, what soever, which soever.
under x8478
(8478) Complement
תַּחַת
tachath
{takh'-ath}
From the same as H8430; the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc.
the sun? 8121
{8121} Prime
שֶׁמֶשׁ
shemesh
{sheh'-mesh}
From an unused root meaning to be brilliant; the sun; by implication the east; figuratively a ray, that is, (architecturally) a notched battlement.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary

Ecclesiastes 1:3

_ _ What profit ... labour — that is, “What profit” as to the chief good (Matthew 16:26). Labor is profitable in its proper place (Genesis 2:15; Genesis 3:19; Proverbs 14:23).

_ _ under the sun — that is, in this life, as opposed to the future world. The phrase often recurs, but only in Ecclesiastes.

Matthew Henry's Commentary

See commentary on Ecclesiastes 1:1-3.

John Wesley's Explanatory Notes

Ecclesiastes 1:3

What profit — What real and abiding benefit? None at all. All is unprofitable as to the attainment of that happiness which all men are enquiring after. His labour — Heb. his toilsome labour, both of body and mind in the pursuit of riches, or pleasures, or other earthly things. Under the sun — In all worldly matters, which are usually transacted in the day time, or by the light of the sun. By this restriction he implies that the happiness which in vain is sought for in this lower world, is really to be found in heavenly places and things.

Geneva Bible Translation Notes

Ecclesiastes 1:3

What profit hath a man of all his (c) labour which he taketh under the sun?

(c) Solomon does not condemn man's labour or diligence, but shows that there is no full contentment in anything under the heavens, nor in any creature, as all things are transitory.

Cross-Reference Topical ResearchStrong's Concordance
profit:

Ecclesiastes 2:22 For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?
Ecclesiastes 3:9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
Ecclesiastes 5:16 And this also [is] a sore evil, [that] in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?
Proverbs 23:4-5 Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. ... Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for [riches] certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
Isaiah 55:2 Wherefore do ye spend money for [that which is] not bread? and your labour for [that which] satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye [that which is] good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
Habakkuk 2:13 Behold, [is it] not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity?
Habakkuk 2:18 What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols?
Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Mark 8:36-37 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? ... Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
John 6:27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

under:

Ecclesiastes 2:11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all [was] vanity and vexation of spirit, and [there was] no profit under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 2:19 And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise [man] or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This [is] also vanity.
Ecclesiastes 4:3 Yea, better [is he] than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 4:7 Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 5:18 Behold [that] which I have seen: [it is] good and comely [for one] to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it [is] his portion.
Ecclesiastes 6:12 For who knoweth what [is] good for man in [this] life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?
Ecclesiastes 7:11 Wisdom [is] good with an inheritance: and [by it there is] profit to them that see the sun.
Ecclesiastes 8:15-17 Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun. ... Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek [it] out, yet he shall not find [it]; yea further; though a wise [man] think to know [it], yet shall he not be able to find [it].
Ecclesiastes 9:3 This [is] an evil among all [things] that are done under the sun, that [there is] one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness [is] in their heart while they live, and after that [they go] to the dead.
Ecclesiastes 9:6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any [thing] that is done under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 9:13 This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it [seemed] great unto me:
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Chain-Reference Bible SearchCross References with Concordance

Pv 23:4. Ec 2:11, 19, 22; 3:9; 4:3, 7; 5:16, 18; 6:12; 7:11; 8:15; 9:3, 6, 13. Is 55:2. Hab 2:13, 18. Mt 16:26. Mk 8:36. Jn 6:27.

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