Translation
All things are wearisome because they are full of labor;
Go to footnote numberman cannot speak it.
The eye is never satisfied with seeing nor the
ear full of hearing.
Paraphrase
All aspects of life are wearisome because they are full of effort. This wearisome quality is so powerful man cannot find the words to describe it adequately.
Here are more examples, the eye continually sees sights but never says “enough,” and the ear continually takes in sounds but is never filled up with them. There are times you want to shut off these senses but they refuse to be shut off; when one is weary of life, they keep doing their thing, creating more weariness.
Footnotes
1
The Hebrew word used here means “wearisome” but has the root meaning of “full of labor.” I have combined the two ideas because the ancient Jews would have seen both ideas working together. Notice once again the emphasis on labor, meaning our efforts and how little they actually accomplish.