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Ecclesiastes 4
New International Version
Ecclesiastes 4
New International Version
Oppression, Toil, Friendlessness
4 Again I looked and saw all the oppression(A) that was taking place under the sun:
I saw the tears of the oppressed—
and they have no comforter;
power was on the side of their oppressors—
and they have no comforter.(B)
2 And I declared that the dead,(C)
who had already died,
are happier than the living,
who are still alive.(D)
3 But better than both
is the one who has never been born,(E)
who has not seen the evil
that is done under the sun.(F)
4 And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.(G)
5 Fools fold their hands(H)
and ruin themselves.
6 Better one handful with tranquillity
than two handfuls with toil(I)
and chasing after the wind.
7 Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:
8 There was a man all alone;
he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
yet his eyes were not content(J) 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!
9 Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
10 If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Advancement Is Meaningless
13 Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning. 14 The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. 15 I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor. 16 There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
Eclesiastes 4
Ang Biblia, 2001
Eclesiastes 4
Ang Biblia, 2001
Ang Kasamaan ng Tao at ang Pagkakatulad sa Hayop
4 Muli kong nakita ang lahat ng pang-aapi na ginagawa sa ilalim ng araw. Masdan ninyo, ang mga luha ng mga inaapi at walang umaaliw sa kanila! Sa panig ng kanilang maniniil ay may kapangyarihan, at walang umaaliw sa kanila.
2 Kaya't aking inisip na ang patay na namatay na, ay higit na mapalad kaysa mga buháy na nabubuhay pa;
3 ngunit higit na mabuti kaysa kanila ang hindi pa ipinapanganak, na hindi pa nakakita ng masasamang gawa na nagawa sa ilalim ng araw.
4 Nang magkagayo'y nakita ko na lahat ng pagpapagod, at lahat ng kakayahan sa paggawa ay nagmumula sa pagkainggit ng tao sa kanyang kapwa. Ito man ay walang kabuluhan at pakikipaghabulan sa hangin.
5 Inihahalukipkip ng hangal ang kanyang mga kamay, at kinakain ang kanyang sariling laman.
6 Mas mabuti pa ang isang dakot na katahimikan, kaysa dalawang dakot na punô ng pagpapagod at pakikipaghabulan lamang sa hangin.
7 Muli kong nakita ang walang kabuluhan sa ilalim ng araw:
8 isang taong nag-iisa, walang anak o kapatid man; gayunma'y walang wakas ang lahat niyang pagpapagod, at ang kanyang mga mata ay hindi nasisiyahan sa mga kayamanan. Kaya't hindi niya itinatanong, “Para kanino ako nagpapagod at pinagkakaitan ko ang aking sarili ng kasiyahan?” Ito man ay walang kabuluhan at malungkot na bagay.
Ang Kahalagahan ng Kaibigan
9 Ang dalawa ay mas mabuti kaysa isa; sapagkat sila'y may mabuting gantimpala sa kanilang pagpapagod.
10 Sapagkat kung sila'y bumagsak, ibabangon ng isa ang kanyang kasama; ngunit kahabag-habag siya na nag-iisa kapag siya'y bumagsak; at walang iba na magbabangon sa kanya.
11 Muli, kung ang dalawa ay mahigang magkasama, may init nga sila; ngunit paanong maiinitan ang nag-iisa?
12 At bagaman ang isang tao ay maaaring magtagumpay laban sa iba, ang dalawa ay magtatagumpay laban sa isa. Ang panaling may tatlong pisi ay hindi agad napapatid.
13 Mas mabuti ang dukha at pantas na kabataan kaysa matanda at hangal na hari, na hindi na tatanggap pa ng payo,
14 bagaman mula sa bilangguan ay makapaghahari siya, o siya'y ipinanganak na dukha sa kanyang sariling kaharian.
15 Aking nakita ang lahat ng may buhay na nagsisilakad sa ilalim ng araw, maging ang kabataang tatayo na kapalit niya;
16 walang wakas sa lahat ng mga tao na kanyang pinapangunahan. Gayunman, silang darating pagkatapos ay hindi magagalak sa kanya. Tunay na ito man ay walang kabuluhan at pakikipaghabulan sa hangin.
Ecclesiastes 4
New King James Version
Ecclesiastes 4
New King James Version
The Uselessness of Selfish Toil
4 Then I returned and considered all the (A)oppression that is done under the sun:
And look! The tears of the oppressed,
But they have no comforter—
[a]On the side of their oppressors there is power,
But they have no comforter.
2 (B)Therefore I praised the dead who were already dead,
More than the living who are still alive.
3 (C)Yet, better than both is he who has never existed,
Who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
The Vanity of Selfish Toil
4 Again, I saw that for all toil and every skillful work a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
5 (D)The fool folds his hands
And consumes his own flesh.
6 (E)Better a handful with quietness
Than both hands full, together with toil and grasping for the wind.
7 Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun:
8 There is one alone, without [b]companion:
He has neither son nor brother.
Yet there is no end to all his labors,
Nor is his (F)eye satisfied with riches.
But (G)he never asks,
“For whom do I toil and deprive myself of (H)good?”
This also is vanity and a [c]grave misfortune.
The Value of a Friend
9 Two are better than one,
Because they have a good reward for their labor.
10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.
But woe to him who is alone when he falls,
For he has no one to help him up.
11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm;
But how can one be warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him.
And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Popularity Passes Away
13 Better a poor and wise youth
Than an old and foolish king who will be admonished no more.
14 For he comes out of prison to be king,
Although [d]he was born poor in his kingdom.
15 I saw all the living who walk under the sun;
They were with the second youth who stands in his place.
16 There was no end of all the people [e]over whom he was made king;
Yet those who come afterward will not rejoice in him.
Surely this also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 4:1 Lit. At the hand
- Ecclesiastes 4:8 Lit. a second
- Ecclesiastes 4:8 Lit. evil task
- Ecclesiastes 4:14 The youth
- Ecclesiastes 4:16 Lit. to all before whom he was to be
Ecclesiastes 4
King James Version
Ecclesiastes 4
King James Version
4 So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.
2 Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.
3 Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
4 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.
5 The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
6 Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.
7 Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.
8 There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.
9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?
12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
13 Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.
14 For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor.
15 I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead.
16 There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.