H7475 H7475
striving, pursuit; concern, occupation (of mind)
This noun appears exclusively in Ecclesiastes, describing mental striving, pursuit, or anxious occupation. Often paired with 'spirit' or 'wind' in the phrase 'striving after wind,' it captures the frustrating pursuit of what cannot be grasped. The term also describes the mental burden or concern that occupies the mind in toil—the cognitive and emotional labor that accompanies work. It suggests both futile reaching for meaning and the psychological weight of human endeavor.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The word designates the mental striving or vexation that characterizes human existence under the sun. Ecclesiastes 1:17 describes pursuing wisdom as 'striving after wind'—grasping for what eludes control. Ecclesiastes 2:22 asks what man gets from all his toil 'and the striving of his heart'—the anxious occupation of mind that accompanies labor. Ecclesiastes 4:16 concludes reflections on popularity with 'this also is vanity and striving after wind.' The consistent theme is frustrated mental pursuit—whether of wisdom, meaning, or legacy—that produces vexation without satisfaction. 3×
AR["هُوَ", "وَبِسَعْيِ", "وَقَبْضُ"]·ben["এবং-তাড়না", "এবং-তাড়নায়", "তাড়না"]·DE["Streben", "[וברעיון]", "und-Streben"]·EN["and-in-striving-of", "and-striving-after", "striving-after"]·FR["désir", "et-désir"]·heb["ו-ב-רעיון", "ו-רעיון", "רעיון"]·HI["और-प्रयास-में", "और-वायु-को", "वायु-को"]·ID["dan-dalam-usaha", "dan-pengejaran", "pengejaran"]·IT["e-e-striving-after", "e-in-e-in-striving-of", "striving-after"]·jav["lan-ing-pamikiraning", "lan-nguber", "nguber"]·KO["그리고-추구함", "그리고-추구함-에서", "추구함"]·PT["aflição-de", "e-aflição-de", "e-na-aflição-de"]·RU["и-в-стремлении", "и-стремление", "стремление"]·ES["aflicción-de", "y-aflicción-de", "y-en-la-preocupación-de"]·SW["kufuata", "na-kufukuza", "na-kwa-kujishughulisha"]·TR["kovalamasidir", "ve-cabasinda", "ve-kovalamasidir"]·urd["اور-فکر-میں", "اور-چرانا", "چرانا"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† רַעְיוֹן n. [m.] id.;—cstr., רַעְיוֹן רוּחַ Ec 1:17, הֶבֶל וְר׳ רוּחַ 4:16 (cf. foreg.), בְּכָל־עֲמָלוֹ וּבְר׳ לִבּוֹ 2:22.