Ecclesiastes 4:7-12
Lexham English Bible
Wealth without Someone with Which to Enjoy It is Futile
7 I turned again and saw another vanity under the sun. 8 Sometimes a man is all alone with no companion; he also has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eye is not satisfied with wealth. He laments, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself[a] of pleasure?” This also is vanity—it is an unhappy business!
Friends and Family Can Help One Another in Life
9 Two are better than the one, for they enjoy a better reward for their toil. 10 For if one falls, his companion may help him up. But pity the one who falls and there is no one[b] to help him up. 11 Also if two lie together, they can keep each other warm.[c] But how can one person be warm? 12 Although an assailant may overpower one person, two may withstand him.[d] A threefold cord is not easily broken![e]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ecclesiastes 4:8 Literally “his soul”
- Ecclesiastes 4:10 Literally “there is not a second”
- Ecclesiastes 4:11 Literally “and it will be warm for them”
- Ecclesiastes 4:12 Literally “And even though he will prevail against him, the one; the second, they will withstand opposite him”
- Ecclesiastes 4:12 Literally “will not be broken in haste”
Ecclesiastes 4:7-12
World English Bible
7 Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun. 8 There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. “For whom then, do I labor and deprive my soul of enjoyment?” This also is vanity. Yes, it is a miserable business.
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. 10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and doesn’t have another to lift him up. 11 Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one keep warm alone? 12 If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
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