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
English Standard Version
Evil Under the Sun
4 (A)Again I (B)saw all (C)the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had (D)no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them. 2 And I (E)thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive. 3 But (F)better than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.
4 Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man's envy of his neighbor. This also is (G)vanity[a] and a striving after wind.
5 The fool (H)folds his hands and (I)eats his own flesh.
6 (J)Better is a handful of (K)quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.
7 (L)Again, I saw vanity under the sun: 8 one person who has no other, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his (M)eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, (N)“For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vanity and an unhappy (O)business.
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11 Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, (P)but how can one keep warm alone? 12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
13 Better was (Q)a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how (R)to take advice. 14 For he went (S)from prison to the throne, though in his own kingdom he had been born poor. 15 I saw all the living who move about under the sun, along with that[b] youth who was to stand in the king's[c] place. 16 There was no end of all the people, all of whom he led. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is (T)vanity and a striving after wind.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 4:4 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath”; also verses 7, 8, 16 (see note on 1:2)
- Ecclesiastes 4:15 Hebrew the second
- Ecclesiastes 4:15 Hebrew his
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