Ecclesiastes 4
Legacy Standard Bible
The Tears of the Oppressed
4 Then I looked again at all the acts of (A)oppression which were being done under the sun. And behold, I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had (B)no one to comfort them; and on the side of their oppressors was power, but they had no one to comfort them. 2 So (C)I lauded the dead who are already dead more than the living who are still living. 3 But (D)better off than both of them is the one who never has been, who has never seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
4 I have seen that every labor and every (E)success of the work is the result of jealousy between a man and his neighbor. This too is [a](F)vanity and striving after wind. 5 The fool (G)folds his hands in embrace and (H)consumes his own flesh. 6 One hand full of rest is (I)better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.
7 Then I looked again at vanity under the sun. 8 There was a certain man without a second man, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, (J)his eyes were not satisfied with riches—“And (K)for whom am I laboring and depriving myself of good?” This too is vanity, and it is a (L)grievous endeavor.
9 Two are better than one because they have good wages for their labor. 10 For if [b]either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not a second one to lift him up. 11 Furthermore, if two lie down together they [c]keep warm, but (M)how can one be warm alone? 12 And if [d]one can overpower him who is alone, two can stand against him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.
13 A (N)poor yet wise lad is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive [e]warning. 14 For he has come (O)out of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom. 15 I have seen all the living who walk about under the sun go along with the second lad who stands in place of him. 16 There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them, and even the ones who will come later will not be glad with him, for this too is (P)vanity and striving after wind.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 4:4 Or futility, so in ch
- Ecclesiastes 4:10 Lit they fall
- Ecclesiastes 4:11 Lit have warmth
- Ecclesiastes 4:12 Lit he
- Ecclesiastes 4:13 Or instruction
Ecclesiastes 4
Christian Standard Bible
4 Again, I observed all the acts of oppression being done under the sun.(A) Look at the tears of those who are oppressed; they have no one to comfort them. Power is with those who oppress them; they have no one to comfort them. 2 So I commended the dead,(B) who have already died, more than the living, who are still alive. 3 But better than either of them is the one who has not yet existed,(C) who has not seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.
The Loneliness of Wealth
4 I saw that all labor and all skillful work is due to one person’s jealousy of another.(D) This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.[a](E)
5 The fool folds his arms(F)
and consumes his own flesh.(G)
6 Better one handful with rest
than two handfuls with effort and a pursuit of the wind.(H)
7 Again, I saw futility under the sun: 8 There is a person without a companion,[b] without even a son or brother, and though there is no end to all his struggles, his eyes are still not content with riches.(I) “Who am I struggling for,” he asks, “and depriving myself of good things?” This too is futile and a miserable task.
9 Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. 10 For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up. 11 Also, if two lie down together, they can keep warm; but how can one person alone keep warm?(J) 12 And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.
13 Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer pays attention to warnings.(K) 14 For he came from prison to be king,(L) even though he was born poor in his kingdom. 15 I saw all the living, who move about under the sun, follow[c] a second youth who succeeds him. 16 There is no limit to all the people who were before them, yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.(M)
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