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Ecclesiastes 4-5
New American Standard Bible 1995

The Evils of Oppression

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 congratulated 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 has never existed, who has never seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.

4 I have seen that every labor and every (E)skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a man and his neighbor. This too is [a](F)vanity and striving after wind. 5 The fool (G)folds his hands 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 [b]dependent, 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 he never asked, “And (K)for whom am I laboring and depriving myself of pleasure?” This too is vanity and it is a (L)grievous task.

9 Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. 10 For if [c]either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not [d]another to lift him up. 11 Furthermore, if two lie down together they [e]keep warm, but (M)how can one be warm alone? 12 And if [f]one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist 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 [g]instruction. 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 under the sun throng to the side of the second lad who [h]replaces 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 happy with him, for this too is (P)vanity and striving after wind.

Your Attitude Toward God

5 [i](Q)Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the (R)sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil. 2 [j]Do not be (S)hasty [k]in word or [l]impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your (T)words be few. 3 For the dream comes through much [m]effort and the voice of a (U)fool through many words.

4 When you (V)make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. (W)Pay what you vow! 5 It is (X)better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. 6 Do not let your [n]speech cause [o]you to sin and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a (Y)mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands? 7 For in many dreams and in many words there is [p]emptiness. Rather, [q](Z)fear God.

8 If you see (AA)oppression of the poor and (AB)denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be (AC)shocked at the [r]sight; for one [s]official watches over another [t]official, and there are higher [u]officials over them. 9 After all, a king who cultivates the field is an advantage to the land.

The Folly of Riches

10 (AD)He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is [v]vanity. 11 (AE)When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to [w]look on? 12 The sleep of the working man is (AF)pleasant, whether he eats little or much; but the [x]full stomach of the rich man does not allow him to sleep.

13 There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: (AG)riches being [y]hoarded by their owner to his hurt. 14 When those riches were lost through [z]a bad investment and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing [aa]to support him. 15 (AH)As he had come naked from his mother’s womb, so will he return as he came. He will (AI)take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand. 16 This also is a grievous evil—exactly as a man [ab]is born, thus will he [ac]die. So (AJ)what is the advantage to him who (AK)toils for the wind? 17 Throughout his life (AL)he also eats in darkness with (AM)great vexation, sickness and anger.

18 Here is what I have seen to be (AN)good and [ad]fitting: to eat, to drink and [ae]enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few [af]years of his life which God has given him; for this is his [ag](AO)reward. 19 Furthermore, as for every man to whom (AP)God has given riches and wealth, He has also (AQ)empowered him to eat from them and to receive his [ah]reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the (AR)gift of God. 20 For he will not often [ai]consider the [aj]years of his life, because (AS)God keeps [ak]him occupied with the gladness of his heart.

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 4:4 Or futility, and so throughout the ch
  2. Ecclesiastes 4:8 Lit second
  3. Ecclesiastes 4:10 Lit they fall
  4. Ecclesiastes 4:10 Lit a second
  5. Ecclesiastes 4:11 Lit have warmth
  6. Ecclesiastes 4:12 Lit he
  7. Ecclesiastes 4:13 Or warning
  8. Ecclesiastes 4:15 Lit stands in his stead
  9. Ecclesiastes 5:1 Ch 4:17 in Heb
  10. Ecclesiastes 5:2 Ch 5:1 in Heb
  11. Ecclesiastes 5:2 Lit with your mouth
  12. Ecclesiastes 5:2 Lit hurry your heart
  13. Ecclesiastes 5:3 Lit task
  14. Ecclesiastes 5:6 Lit mouth
  15. Ecclesiastes 5:6 Lit your body
  16. Ecclesiastes 5:7 Lit vanity
  17. Ecclesiastes 5:7 Or revere
  18. Ecclesiastes 5:8 Lit delight
  19. Ecclesiastes 5:8 Lit high one
  20. Ecclesiastes 5:8 Lit high one
  21. Ecclesiastes 5:8 Lit ones
  22. Ecclesiastes 5:10 Or futility
  23. Ecclesiastes 5:11 Lit see with their eyes
  24. Ecclesiastes 5:12 Lit satiety
  25. Ecclesiastes 5:13 Lit guarded
  26. Ecclesiastes 5:14 Lit an evil task
  27. Ecclesiastes 5:14 Lit in his hand
  28. Ecclesiastes 5:16 Lit comes
  29. Ecclesiastes 5:16 Lit go
  30. Ecclesiastes 5:18 Lit beautiful
  31. Ecclesiastes 5:18 Lit see good
  32. Ecclesiastes 5:18 Or days
  33. Ecclesiastes 5:18 Or share
  34. Ecclesiastes 5:19 Or share
  35. Ecclesiastes 5:20 Lit remember
  36. Ecclesiastes 5:20 Or days
  37. Ecclesiastes 5:20 So with Gr
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Ecclesiastes 3
Ecclesiastes 6
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New American Standard Bible 1995 (NASB1995)

New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.

New American Standard Bible is made available by The Lockman Foundation