Ecclesiastes 4:7-9

International Standard Version

On Aloneness and Companionship

⁷Then I turned to re-examine something else that is pointless on earth: ⁸Consider someone who is alone, having neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his work, and he is^[a] never satisfied with wealth. “So for whom do I work,” he asks,^[b] “and deprive myself of pleasure?” This, too, is pointless and a terrible tragedy.

⁹Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.

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Footnotes

Ecclesiastes 4:8 Lit. and his eyes are
Ecclesiastes 4:8 The Heb. lacks he asks

Ecclesiastes 4:7-9

New International Version

⁷Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:

⁸There was a man all alone;
    he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
    yet his eyes were not content^(A) with his wealth.
“For whom am I toiling,” he asked,
    “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?”
This too is meaningless—
    a miserable business!