Ecclesiastes 4
1599 Geneva Bible
4 2 The innocents are oppressed. 4 Man’s labors are full of abuse and vanity. 9 Man’s society is necessary. 13 A young man poor and wise, is to be preferred to an old King that is a fool.
1 So [a]I turned and considered all the oppressions that are wrought under the sun, and behold, the tears of the oppressed, and none comforteth them, and lo, the strength is of the hand of them that oppress them, and none comforteth them.
2 Wherefore I praised the [b]dead which now are dead, above the living, which are yet alive.
3 And I count him [c]better than them both, which hath not yet been: for he hath not seen the evil works which are wrought under the sun.
4 Also I beheld all travail, and all [d]perfection of works, that this is the envy of a man against his neighbor: this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
5 The fool foldeth his hands, and [e]eateth up his own flesh.
6 Better is an handful with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and vexation of spirit.
7 Again I returned, and saw vanity under the sun.
8 There is one alone, and there is not a second, which hath neither son nor brother, yet is there none end of all his travail, neither can his eye be satisfied with riches: neither doth he think, For whom do I travail and defraud my soul of pleasures? this also is vanity, this is an evil travail.
9 [f]Two are better wages for their labor.
10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe unto him that is alone: for he falleth, and there is not a second to lift him up.
11 Also if two sleep together, then shall they have heat: but to one how should there be heat?
12 And if one overcome him, two shall stand against him: and a threefold [g]cord is not easily broken.
13 Better is a poor and wise child, than an old and foolish King, which will no more be admonished.
14 For out of the [h]prison he cometh forth to reign: when as he that is [i]born in his kingdom, is made poor.
15 I beheld all the living, which walk under the Sun [j]with the second child, which shall stand up in his place.
16 There is none [k]end of all the people, nor of all that were before them, and they that come after, shall not rejoice in him: surely this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
17 Take heed to thine [l]foot when thou enterest into the house of God, and be more near to hear than to give the sacrifice of [m]fools: for they know not that they do evil.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 4:1 He maketh here another discourse with himself concerning the tyranny of them that oppressed the poor.
- Ecclesiastes 4:2 Because they are no more subject to these oppressions.
- Ecclesiastes 4:3 He speaketh according to the judgment of the flesh, which cannot abide to feel or see troubles.
- Ecclesiastes 4:4 The more perfect that the work is, the more it is envied of the wicked.
- Ecclesiastes 4:5 For idleness he is compelled to destroy himself.
- Ecclesiastes 4:9 Forasmuch as when man is alone, he can neither help himself nor others, he showeth that men ought to live in mutual society to the intent they may be profitable one to another, and that their things may increase.
- Ecclesiastes 4:12 By this proverb he declareth how necessary it is, that men should live in society.
- Ecclesiastes 4:14 That is, from a poor and base estate, or out of trouble and prison, as Joseph did, Gen. 41:14.
- Ecclesiastes 4:14 Meaning, that is born a King.
- Ecclesiastes 4:15 Which follow and flatter the King’s son, or him that shall succeed, to enter into credit with them in hope of gain.
- Ecclesiastes 4:16 They never cease by all means to creep into favor, but when they obtain not, their greedy desires, they think themselves abused, as others have been in time past, and so care no more for him.
- Ecclesiastes 4:17 That is, with what affection thou comest to hear the word of God.
- Ecclesiastes 4:17 Meaning, of the wicked, which think to please God with common uses, and have neither faith nor repentance.
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
Ecclesiastes 4
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
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 labour and all skilful 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)
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.
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