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전도서 4
Korean Bible: Easy-to-Read Version
전도서 4
Korean Bible: Easy-to-Read Version
산 자와 죽은 자
4 나는 세상을 둘러보고 해 아래에서 일어나고 있는 온갖 억울한 일들을 보았다. 억울한 일을 당한 사람들이 눈물을 흘려도 그들을 위로해 주는 사람이 없다. 압제자들이 권력을 휘두르는데 그들을 감싸주는 사람이 없다. 2 그래서 나는 아직 살아 숨 쉬는 사람보다 이미 죽은 사람이 더 복되다고 말하였다. 3 그 둘보다도 아직 태어나지 않아 해 아래에서 벌어지는 악한 일을 보지 않은 사람이 더 낫다.
왜 그토록 열심히 일하는가
4 나는 또 사람들이 온갖 노력을 다해 무엇을 이루려는 것이 서로의 질투심에서 비롯된 것임을 알았다. 이것 또한 헛되어 바람을 잡으려는 것과 같다.
5 “어리석은 사람은 게을러서 제 삶을 망친다.”고 하지만
6 한 주먹만큼 가지고 조용히 사는 것이
두 주먹만큼 가지려고
뼈 빠지게 일하는 것보다 낫고
바람을 잡으려는 것 보다 낫다.
7 나는 또 하나 세상에서 일어나는 헛된 일을 보았다. 8 외톨이로 혼자 사는 한 남자가 있었다. 그에게는 아들도 없고 형제도 없었다. 그는 쉬지 않고 일만 할 뿐 모아 놓은 재산을 보고도 만족할 줄 몰랐다. 그러면서 “내가 누구를 위해 즐기지도 못하면서 이 고생을 하며 사는가?” 하고 말하니 이것 또한 헛되고 불쌍한 일이다.
우정, 가족
9 혼자보다는 둘이서 일하는 것이 낫다. 둘이서 함께 하는 수고가 더 좋은 결과를 얻을 수 있기 때문이다.
10 한 사람이 넘어지면 다른 한 사람이 그를 일으켜 줄 수 있다. 그러나 혼자 있는 사람은 넘어져도 일으켜 줄 사람이 없어 보기에도 딱하다.
11 또한 두 사람이 함께 누우면 따뜻하지만 혼자라면 어떻게 따뜻해질 수 있겠는가?
12 혼자서는 싸움에서 지지만 둘이서라면 능히 이겨낼 수 있다. 세겹줄은 쉽게 끊어지지 않는다.
정치, 권력
13 아무리 나이가 많아도 다른 사람의 말을 받아들일 줄 모르는 왕은 어리석다. 그보다는 가난하지만 지혜로운 젊은이가 더 지혜롭다. 14 그런 젊은이는 비록 가난하게 태어났더라도 감옥에서 나와 왕위에 오를 수 있다 15 내가 보니 세상에서 살아 움직이는 사람들이 왕의 후계자가 된 젊은이를 따르더라. 16 그러나 그가 아무리 많은 백성들을 다스렸다 해도, 다음 세대 사람들이 그를 좋아하지 않으니 이것 또한 헛되며 바람을 잡으려는 것과 같다.
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.
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
English Standard Version
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
Korean Bible: Easy-to-Read Version (KOERV)
Copyright © 2021 by Bible League International
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New King James Version (NKJV) 
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English Standard Version (ESV) 
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