Biblical Lexicon

H5998 H5998

V-Qal-Perf-3ms | 11× in 1 sense

To toil, labor — to work hard with weariness; especially in Ecclesiastes for the exhausting effort of human life

The verb עָמַל (amal) means to toil or labor with an undertone of weariness and burdensome effort. While it can describe ordinary hard work (Ps 127:1, 'unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain'), its theological home is Ecclesiastes, where it becomes a keyword for the exhausting human quest for meaning and profit. Qoheleth asks 'what gain has the worker from his toil?' (Eccl 1:3) and concludes that all labor under the sun is vanity (Eccl 2:11, 19-21). Yet he also affirms that enjoying the fruit of one's toil is a gift from God (Eccl 5:18). Jonah 4:10 uses it for the labor Jonah did not invest in the gourd plant. Spanish 'trabajar/afanarse' captures both the effort and the futility overtones.

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Senses

1. toil, labor (Qal) — To labor with weariness, to toil strenuously — carrying a connotation of burdensome, exhausting effort rather than joyful productivity. Dominates in Ecclesiastes as a thematic keyword: 'What does a person gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?' (Eccl 1:3; cf. 2:11, 19-21; 5:18; 8:17). Psalm 127:1 uses it for futile building effort without divine help. The laborer's appetite drives him (Prov 16:26). Jonah 4:10 applies it negatively to labor Jonah never performed. Spanish 'afanarse' and German 'sich abmühen' both carry the weary, burdensome nuance. 11×

PHYSICAL_ACTION › Perform, Do › Work and Labor

AR["الَّذِي-", "الَّذِي-يَعْمَلُهُ", "تَعْمَلْ", "عَمَلِي", "عَمِلَتْ", "عَمِلْتُهُ", "وَلِيَفْرَحَ", "يَتْعَبُ", "يَدَايَ", "يَعمَلونَ"]·ben["পরিশ্রম-করে", "পরিশ্রম-করেছ", "পরিশ্রম-করেনি-", "যা-পরিশ্রম-করে", "যা-পরিশ্রম-করেছিলাম", "যে-পরিশ্রম-করে", "যে-সে-পরিশ্রম-করে"]·DE["Arbeit", "Muehe", "abmuehte"]·EN["labor", "labors", "that-I-toiled", "that-he-toils", "toiled-", "toils", "you-labored"]·FR["travailler"]·heb["יעמול", "עמל-", "עמלה", "עמלו", "עמלת", "שׁ-יעמול", "שׁ-עמלתי"]·HI["जो-मैंने-परिश्रम-किया", "जो-वह-परिश्रम-करता-है", "तू-ने-मेहनत-की", "परिश्रम-करते-हैं", "परिश्रम-करे", "परिश्रम-किया-", "मजदूरी-करता-है"]·ID["bekerja", "bekerja-keras", "engkau-berjerih-payah", "yang-aku-kerjakan", "yang-bekerja", "yang-dia-kerjakan", "yang-ia-kerjakan"]·IT["[עמלו]", "[עמלת]", "faticare"]·jav["ingkang-dipunlampahi", "ingkang-kangelan", "ingkang-kula-lampahi", "ingkang-piyambakipun-kangelan", "kangelan-", "makarya", "nyambut-damél", "panjenengan-rekasa", "rekasa"]·KO["그-수고하는", "그-수고하는-것", "그-수고했다", "그가-수고하는-것", "네가-수고했으니라", "수고하느니라", "수고하였도다", "수고한-", "수고한다"]·PT["que-ele-trabalha", "que-trabalha", "que-trabalhei", "trabalha", "trabalham", "trabalhaste", "trabalhe", "trabalhou"]·RU["которым-трудился-я", "которым-трудится", "трудился", "трудился-", "трудится", "трудятся", "что-трудится"]·ES["que-trabaja", "que-trabajé", "trabaja", "trabajan", "trabajaste", "trabajó"]·SW["anajitahidi", "anayefanya-kazi", "anayofanya", "anayoifanya", "fanya-kazi", "hakufanya-kazi", "inafanya-kazi", "niliyofanya", "wanajitaabisha"]·TR["emek-ceker", "emek-cekmis", "emek-verdin", "ki-emek-ceker", "ki-emek-cekmis", "ki-emek-cektim", "çalıştı", "çalışır"]·urd["جو-محنت-کرتا-ہے", "جو-محنت-کی-میں-نے", "محنت-کرتا-ہے", "محنت-کرتی-ہے", "محنت-کرتے-ہیں", "محنت-کی"]

Ps 127:1, Prov 16:26, Eccl 1:3, Eccl 2:11, Eccl 2:19, Eccl 2:20, Eccl 2:21, Eccl 5:16, Eccl 5:18, Eccl 8:17, Jonah 4:10

BDB / Lexicon Reference

† עָמַל vb. labour, toil (NH id.; Arabic عَمِلَ labour, make; Sab. עמל work (? n. or vb.) CIS iv. No. 250; Aramaic עֲמַל, ܥܡܰܠ; Zinj. עמל; Assyrian nîmelu, gain, possessions);— Qal Pf. 3 ms. ע׳ Ec 2:21; 3 fs. עָֽמְלָה Pr 16:26; 2 ms. עָמַלְתָּ Jon 4:10; 1 s. עָמַלְתִּי Ec 2:11 + 2 times; pl. עָֽמְלוּ ψ 127:1; Impf. 3 ms. יַעֲמֹל Ec 1:3 + 3 times;—labour (very late): in building, c. בְּ ψ 127:1;…