Ecclesiastes 1:3

Ecclesiastes 1:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
• New International Version (NIV)What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun?
• English Standard Version (ESV)What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?
• New King James Version (NKJV)What profit has a man from all his labor In which he toils under the sun?

Context of Ecclesiastes 1:3

1The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. 2“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.” What advantage does man have in all his work Which he does under the sun? 4A generation goes and a generation comes, But the earth remains forever. 5Also, the sun rises and the sun sets; And hastening to its place it rises there again.

Ecclesiastes 1:3 word by word

מַה־יִּתְר֖וֹן לָֽאָדָ֑ם בְּכָל־עֲמָל֔וֹ שֶֽׁיַּעֲמֹ֖ל תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃Read the interlinear

• Whatמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
• advantageיִתְרוֹןyithrôn · advantageH3504
• does manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• have in allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• his workעָמָל‛âmâl · troubleH5999
• Whichשֶׁלshel · whichH7945
• he doesעָמַל‛âmal · to toilH5998
• underתַּחַתtachath · underneath: underH8478
• the sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁshemesh · sunH8121

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 1:3

• Ecclesiastes 2:22For what does a man get in all his labor and in his striving with which he labors under the sun?
• Ecclesiastes 3:9What profit is there to the worker from that in which he toils?
• Ecclesiastes 5:16This also is a grievous evil--exactly as a man is born, thus will he die. So what is the advantage to him who toils for the wind?
• Proverbs 23:4Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, Cease from your consideration of it.
• Isaiah 55:2Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And delight yourself in abundance.
• Habakkuk 2:13Is it not indeed from the Lord of hosts That peoples toil for fire, And nations grow weary for nothing?
• Matthew 16:26For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
• Mark 8:36For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?
• John 6:27Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.”
• Ecclesiastes 2:11Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun.
• Ecclesiastes 4:3But better off than both of them is the one who has never existed, who has never seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.
• Ecclesiastes 5:18Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward.
• Ecclesiastes 6:12For who knows what is good for a man during his lifetime, during the few years of his futile life? He will spend them like a shadow. For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?
• Ecclesiastes 7:11Wisdom along with an inheritance is good And an advantage to those who see the sun.
• Ecclesiastes 8:15So I commended pleasure, for there is nothing good for a man under the sun except to eat and to drink and to be merry, and this will stand by him in his toils throughout the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.
• Ecclesiastes 9:3This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one fate for all men. Furthermore, the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil and insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterwards they go to the dead.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 1:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3What profit hath a man - What is the sum of the real good he has gained by all his toils in life? They, in themselves, have neither made him contented nor happy.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3What profit … - The question often repeated is the great practical inquiry of the book; it receives its final answer in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14. When this question was asked, the Lord had not yet spoken Matthew 11:28. The word “profit” (or pre-eminence) is opposed to “vanity.” Hath a man - Rather, hath man.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3The Hebrew phrase under the sun appears twenty-nine times in Ecclesiastes. The New Living Translation sometimes translates it as "here on earth" (Proverbs 2:18) or "in this world" (Proverbs 2:20). It suggests a view of life focused on earthly matters rather than God's perspective.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. What profit ... labour--that is, "What profit" as to the chief good (Mt 16:26). Labor is profitable in its proper place (Ge 2:15; 3:19; Pr 14:23). under the sun--that is, in this life, as opposed to the future world. The phrase often recurs, but only in Ecclesiastes.Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 1:3

• Covetousness
• Industry

In the dictionaries

• Sun
• Vanity
• Canon of the Old Testament
• Ecclesiastes, the Preacher
• Labor
• Pain
• Synagogue, the Great

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings