The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 4:4 Explained

Ecclesiastes 4:4

KJV: Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

YLT: And I have seen all the labour, and all the benefit of the work, because for it a man is the envy of his neighbour. Even this is vanity and vexation of spirit.

Darby: And I saw all labour, and all success of work, that it is man's jealousy of his neighbour. This also is vanity and pursuit of the wind.

ASV: Then I saw all labor and every skilful work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Again, I considered  all travail,  and every right  work,  that for this a man  is envied  of his neighbour.  This [is] also vanity  and vexation  of spirit. 

What does Ecclesiastes 4:4 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Ecclesiastes 4

1  vanity is increased unto men by oppression
4  by envy
5  by idleness
7  by covetousness
9  by solitariness
13  by willfulness

What do the individual words in Ecclesiastes 4:4 mean?

And Again saw I - that for all toil and every skillful work for it is envied a man by his neighbor Also this [is] vanity and grasping for the wind
וְרָאִ֨יתִֽי אֲנִ֜י אֶת־ כָּל־ עָמָ֗ל וְאֵת֙ כָּל־ כִּשְׁר֣וֹן הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֔ה כִּ֛י הִ֥יא קִנְאַת־ אִ֖ישׁ מֵרֵעֵ֑הוּ גַּם־ זֶ֥ה הֶ֖בֶל וּרְע֥וּת רֽוּחַ

וְרָאִ֨יתִֽי  And  Again  saw 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
כָּל־  that  for  all 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
עָמָ֗ל  toil 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עָמָל  
Sense: .
כָּל־  every 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
כִּשְׁר֣וֹן  skillful 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כִּשְׁרֹון  
Sense: success, skill, profit.
הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֔ה  work 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַעֲשֶׂה  
Sense: deed, work.
קִנְאַת־  is  envied 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: קִנְאָה  
Sense: ardour, zeal, jealousy.
אִ֖ישׁ  a  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
מֵרֵעֵ֑הוּ  by  his  neighbor 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: רֵעַ  
Sense: friend, companion, fellow, another person.
גַּם־  Also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
זֶ֥ה  this 
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
הֶ֖בֶל  [is]  vanity 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: הֶבֶל  
Sense: vapour, breath.
וּרְע֥וּת  and  grasping  for 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: רְעוּת  
Sense: longing, striving.
רֽוּחַ  the  wind 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.