--- title: Ecclesiastes 4:8 — There is one that is alone, and he hath not a second; yea, he hath n… · Hebrew, tree and pragmatics description: There is one that is alone, and he hath not a second; yea, he hath neither son nor brother; yet is there no end of all his labour, neither is his eye satisfied with riches: 'for whom then do I labour, and bereave my soul of pleasure?' This also is vanity, yea, it is a grievous business. Who acts: on --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/ECC.4.8/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [Tanakh](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tanakh/) / [Ketuvim](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/) / [Ecclesiastes](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/ECC/) / [chapter 4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/ECC/4/) / 4:8 # Ecclesiastes 4:8 קֹהֶלֶת **Who acts:** one, fool, end, eye, I, This · **What happens:** be, not have, have, labour, bereave · **To what, where:** son, soul, vanity, grievous business This is Ecclesiastes 4:8 from Mova's open Bible corpus, the Tanakh in three languages (Ketuvim — the Writings). The page gives the verse in Hebrew as the Westminster Leningrad Codex has it, its syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, built from MACULA Hebrew — and its pragmatics: who acts — one, fool, end, eye, I, This — and what happens in the verse to son, soul, vanity, grievous business, read clause by clause by Mova's frames. Beside it stand the Aramaic of the Targum and the English of the Jewish Publication Society's 1917 translation, each English sentence with a tree of its own. It is one of the 12 chapters of Ecclesiastes on this site, all built by Mova itself from its own trees, with no large model in between. יֵ֣שׁ אֶחָד֩ וְאֵ֨ין שֵׁנִ֜י גַּ֣ם בֵּ֧ן וָאָ֣ח אֵֽין־ל֗וֹ וְאֵ֥ין קֵץ֙ לְכָל־עֲמָל֔וֹ גַּם־עֵינ֖וֹ לֹא־תִשְׂבַּ֣ע עֹ֑שֶׁר וּלְמִ֣י ׀ אֲנִ֣י עָמֵ֗ל וּמְחַסֵּ֤ר אֶת־נַפְשִׁי֙ מִטּוֹבָ֔ה גַּם־זֶ֥ה הֶ֛בֶל וְעִנְיַ֥ן רָ֖ע הֽוּא׃ [There is one that is alone, and he hath not a second; yea, he hath neither son nor brother; yet is there no end of all his labour, neither is his eye satisfied with riches: 'for whom then do I labour, and bereave my soul of pleasure?' This also is vanity, yea, it is a grievous business.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/jps/ECC.81/) ## The tree {#tree} Right to left, as the Hebrew is read; a prefix or suffix is a word of its own, and a line under the words joins those written as one. Under each word its part of speech and MACULA's English gloss. ```conllu rtl gloss # sent_id = wlc:ECC:73 # text = יֵ֣שׁ אֶחָד֩ וְאֵ֨ין שֵׁנִ֜י גַּ֣ם בֵּ֧ן וָאָ֣ח אֵֽין־ל֗וֹ וְאֵ֥ין קֵץ֙ לְכָל־עֲמָל֔וֹ גַּם־עֵינ֖וֹ לֹא־תִשְׂבַּ֣ע עֹ֑שֶׁר וּלְמִ֣י ׀ אֲנִ֣י עָמֵ֗ל וּמְחַסֵּ֤ר אֶת־נַפְשִׁי֙ מִטּוֹבָ֔ה גַּם־זֶ֥ה הֶ֛בֶל וְעִנְיַ֥ן רָ֖ע הֽוּא׃ # verse = ECC.4.8 1 יֵ֣שׁ יֵשׁ ADV _ _ 0 root _ Gloss=there.[was]|Ref=ECC_4:8!1|MId=o210040080011|Strong=3426|Type=demonstrative 2 אֶחָד֩ אֶחָד NUM _ Gender=Masc|Number=Sing 1 nsubj _ Gloss=one.[person]|Ref=ECC_4:8!2|MId=o210040080021|Strong=0259|Type=cardinal_number 3-4 וְאֵ֨ין _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 3 וְ וְ CCONJ _ _ 4 cc _ Gloss=and|Ref=ECC_4:8!3|MId=o210040080031|Strong=2050b 4 אֵ֨ין אַיִן ADV _ _ 1 conj _ Gloss=there.[was].not|Ref=ECC_4:8!3|MId=o210040080032|Strong=0369|Type=negative 5 שֵׁנִ֜י שֵׁנִי NUM _ Gender=Masc|Number=Sing 4 nsubj _ Gloss=a.second.[person]|Ref=ECC_4:8!4|MId=o210040080041|Strong=8145|Type=ordinal_number 6 גַּ֣ם גַּם ADV _ _ 7 advmod _ Gloss=also|Ref=ECC_4:8!5|MId=o210040080051|Strong=1571|Type=affirmation 7 בֵּ֧ן בֵּן NOUN _ Gender=Masc|Number=Sing 10 nsubj _ Gloss=a.son|Ref=ECC_4:8!6|MId=o210040080061|Strong=1121 8-9 וָאָ֣ח _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 8 וָ וְ CCONJ _ _ 9 cc _ Gloss=and|Ref=ECC_4:8!7|MId=o210040080071|Strong=2050b 9 אָ֣ח אָח NOUN _ Gender=Masc|Number=Sing 7 conj _ Gloss=a.brother|Ref=ECC_4:8!7|MId=o210040080072|Strong=0251 10 אֵֽין־ אַיִן ADV _ _ 1 parataxis _ Gloss=there.[belonged].not|Ref=ECC_4:8!8|MId=o210040080081|Strong=0369|Type=negative|SpaceAfter=No 11-12 ל֗וֹ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 11 ל לְ ADP _ _ 12 case _ Gloss=to|Ref=ECC_4:8!9|MId=o210040080091|Strong=3807a 12 ֗וֹ הוּא PRON _ Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 10 obl _ Gloss=him|Ref=ECC_4:8!9|MId=o210040080092|Strong=2050c|Type=pronominal 13-14 וְאֵ֥ין _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 13 וְ וְ CCONJ _ _ 14 cc _ Gloss=and|Ref=ECC_4:8!10|MId=o210040080101|Strong=2050b 14 אֵ֥ין אַיִן ADV _ _ 1 conj _ Gloss=there.[was].not|Ref=ECC_4:8!10|MId=o210040080102|Strong=0369|Type=negative 15 קֵץ֙ קֵץ NOUN _ Gender=Masc|Number=Sing 14 nsubj _ Gloss=an.end|Ref=ECC_4:8!11|MId=o210040080111|Strong=7093 16-17 לְכָל־ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 16 לְ לְ ADP _ _ 17 case _ Gloss=to|Ref=ECC_4:8!12|MId=o210040080121|Strong=3807a 17 כָל־ כֹּל NOUN _ Gender=Masc|Number=Sing 14 obl _ Gloss=all|Ref=ECC_4:8!12|MId=o210040080122|Strong=3605 18-19 עֲמָל֔וֹ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 18 עֲמָל עָמָל NOUN _ Number=Sing 17 compound:smixut _ Gloss=toil|Ref=ECC_4:8!13|MId=o210040080131|Strong=5999 19 ֔וֹ הוּא PRON _ Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 18 nmod:poss _ Gloss=his|Ref=ECC_4:8!13|MId=o210040080132|Strong=2050c|Type=pronominal 20 גַּם־ גַּם ADV _ _ 21 advmod _ Gloss=also|Ref=ECC_4:8!14|MId=o210040080141|Strong=1571|Type=affirmation|SpaceAfter=No 21-22 עֵינ֖וֹ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 21 עֵינ עַיִן NOUN _ Number=Sing 24 nsubj _ Gloss=eye|Ref=ECC_4:8!16|MId=o210040080161|Strong=5869 22 ֖וֹ הוּא PRON _ Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 21 nmod:poss _ Gloss=his|Ref=ECC_4:8!16|MId=o210040080162|Strong=2050c|Type=pronominal 23 לֹא־ לֹא ADV _ _ 24 advmod _ Gloss=not|Ref=ECC_4:8!17|MId=o210040080171|Strong=3808|Type=negative|SpaceAfter=No 24 תִשְׂבַּ֣ע שָׂבֵעַ VERB _ Gender=Fem|HebBinyan=QAL|Number=Sing|Person=3 1 parataxis _ Gloss=it.was.satisfied|Ref=ECC_4:8!18|MId=o210040080181|Strong=7646|Frame=A0:210040080161;A1:210040080191;|Type=yiqtol 25 עֹ֑שֶׁר עֹשֶׁר NOUN _ Gender=Masc|Number=Sing 24 obj _ Gloss=wealth|Ref=ECC_4:8!19|MId=o210040080191|Strong=6239 26-28 וּלְמִ֣י _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 26 וּ וְ CCONJ _ _ 31 cc _ Gloss=and|Ref=ECC_4:8!20|MId=o210040080201|Strong=2050b 27 לְ לְ ADP _ _ 28 case _ Gloss=for|Ref=ECC_4:8!20|MId=o210040080202|Strong=3807a 28 מִ֣י מִי PRON _ PronType=Int 31 obl _ Gloss=whom?|Ref=ECC_4:8!20|MId=o210040080203|Strong=4310|Type=interrogative 29 ׀ ׀ PUNCT _ _ 28 punct _ Ref=ECC_4:8!20 30 אֲנִ֣י אֲנִי PRON _ Gender=Com|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs 31 nsubj _ Gloss=[am].I|Ref=ECC_4:8!21|MId=o210040080211|Strong=0589|Type=personal 31 עָמֵ֗ל עָמֵל NOUN _ Gender=Masc|Number=Sing 1 conj _ Gloss=toiling|Ref=ECC_4:8!22|MId=o210040080221|Strong=6001a|Type=adjective 32-33 וּמְחַסֵּ֤ר _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 32 וּ וְ CCONJ _ _ 33 cc _ Gloss=and|Ref=ECC_4:8!23|MId=o210040080231|Strong=2050b 33 מְחַסֵּ֤ר חָסֵר VERB _ Gender=Masc|HebBinyan=PIEL|Number=Sing 1 conj _ Gloss=depriving|Ref=ECC_4:8!23|MId=o210040080232|Strong=2637|Frame=A0:210040080021;A1:210040080251;|Type=participle_active 34 אֶת־ אֵת ADP _ _ 35 case _ Gloss=(et)|Ref=ECC_4:8!24|MId=o210040080241|Strong=0853|Type=direct_object_marker|SpaceAfter=No 35-36 נַפְשִׁי֙ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 35 נַפְשׁ נֶפֶשׁ NOUN _ Number=Sing 33 obj _ Gloss=self|Ref=ECC_4:8!25|MId=o210040080251|Strong=5315 36 ִי֙ הוּא PRON _ Gender=Com|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs 35 nmod:poss _ Gloss=my|Ref=ECC_4:8!25|MId=o210040080252|Strong=2967a|Type=pronominal 37-38 מִטּוֹבָ֔ה _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 37 מִ מִן ADP _ _ 38 case _ Gloss=from|Ref=ECC_4:8!26|MId=o210040080261|Strong=4480 38 טּוֹבָ֔ה טוֹבָה NOUN _ Gender=Fem|Number=Sing 33 obl _ Gloss=good|Ref=ECC_4:8!26|MId=o210040080262|Strong=2896b|Type=adjective 39 גַּם־ גַּם ADV _ _ 40 advmod _ Gloss=also|Ref=ECC_4:8!27|MId=o210040080271|Strong=1571|Type=affirmation|SpaceAfter=No 40 זֶ֥ה זֶה PRON _ Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|PronType=Dem 41 nsubj _ Gloss=this|Ref=ECC_4:8!28|MId=o210040080281|Strong=2088|Type=demonstrative 41 הֶ֛בֶל הֶבֶל NOUN _ Gender=Masc|Number=Sing 1 parataxis _ Gloss=[is].futility|Ref=ECC_4:8!29|MId=o210040080291|Strong=1892 42-43 וְעִנְיַ֥ן _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 42 וְ וְ CCONJ _ _ 43 cc _ Gloss=and.[is]|Ref=ECC_4:8!30|MId=o210040080301|Strong=2050b 43 עִנְיַ֥ן עִנְיָן NOUN _ Gender=Masc|Number=Sing 1 conj _ Gloss=a.business|Ref=ECC_4:8!30|MId=o210040080302|Strong=6045 44 רָ֖ע רַע ADJ _ Gender=Masc|Number=Sing 43 compound:smixut _ Gloss=of.evil|Ref=ECC_4:8!31|MId=o210040080311|Strong=7451|Type=adjective 45 הֽוּא הוּא PRON _ Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 43 nsubj _ Gloss=it|Ref=ECC_4:8!32|MId=o210040080321|Strong=1931|Type=personal|SpaceAfter=No 46 ׃ ׃ PUNCT _ _ 45 punct _ Ref=ECC_4:8!32 ``` ## Pragmatics {#pragmatics} - form: statement - act: assert - voice: character - speech: inside a quote begun earlier - negation: yes | verb | form · stem | who (A0) | what, whom (A1) | to whom, further (A2) | who makes it happen (AA) | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | **not** תִשְׂבַּע *it was satisfied* | yiqtol · qal | עֵינ *eye* | עֹשֶׁר *wealth* | | | | מְחַסֵּר *depriving* | participle active · piel | אֶחָד *one \[person\]* | נַפְשׁ *self* | | | MACULA's semantic frames: for each verb the head word of each participant. A0 is the one who acts, A1 what the act is done to or is about, A2 a further participant; AA, with a causative verb, the one who makes it happen. ## The Targum {#onkelos} אִית גְּבַר יְחִידִי וְלֵית תִּנְיָן בָּר מִנֵּיהּ אַף בְּרָא וְאַף אֲחָא לֵית לֵיהּ לְמֵירַת יָת נִכְסוֹי וְלֵית סוֹף לְכָל טוֹרְחֵיהּ וְאַף עַיְנֵיהּ לָא תֵיכוֹל לְמִסְבַּע עָתְרֵיה וְלָא יֵימַר בְּלִבֵּיהּ לְמָא דְנָן אֲנָא טָרַח וּמְחַסֵר יָת נַפְשִׁי מִטִיבוּתָא אֲקוּם כְּעַן וְאַעֲבֵיד מִנֵּיהּ צִדְקְתָא וְאֶחֱדֵּי בְּעָלְמָא הָדֵין עִם בְּנֵי אֱנָשָׁא וּלְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי עִם צַדִּיקַיָּא אַף דֵּין הֲבָלוּ וְגַוָון בִּישׁ הוּא: The Aramaic translation read beside the Hebrew. Text only: Mova has no Aramaic parser yet. ## English, JPS 1917 {#english} Each sentence on its own page, with its tree and pragmatics. A sentence that runs on into the next verse is listed under the verse it begins in. 1. [There is one that is alone, and he hath not a second; yea, he hath neither son nor brother; yet is there no end of all his labour, neither is his eye satisfied with riches: 'for whom then do I labour, and bereave my soul of pleasure?' This also is vanity, yea, it is a grievous business.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/jps/ECC.81/) **Hebrew text:** Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain. **Tree, glosses and frames:** MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets, available at [github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-hebrew](https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-hebrew/), [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/); converted to Universal Dependencies by Mova (words in text order, a prefix its own word). **Speech act:** Mova's rules on the MACULA words (`macula prag`). **Targum:** Onkelos (Torat Emet), Jonathan and the Writings (Mikraot Gedolot), from Sefaria, public domain. **English:** JPS 1917, public domain; trees and speech acts by Mova's cycle, frames by Mova's reader (Elamur Cosmic License). Hebrew sentence `wlc:ECC:73`. - ← previous: [Ecclesiastes 4:7](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/ECC.4.7/) - next →: [Ecclesiastes 4:9](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/ECC.4.9/) - ↑ back to [Ecclesiastes 4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/ECC/4/)