Ecclesiastes 4 - English Standard Version (ESV)

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

  1. 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)
  2. Ecclesiastes 4:15 Hebrew the second
  3. Ecclesiastes 4:15 Hebrew his

Cross references

  1. Ecclesiastes 4:1 : ch. 9:11
  2. Ecclesiastes 4:1 : ch. 3:16
  3. Ecclesiastes 4:1 : ch. 5:8; Job 35:9
  4. Ecclesiastes 4:1 : Lam. 1:2
  5. Ecclesiastes 4:2 : See Job 3:11-26
  6. Ecclesiastes 4:3 : ch. 6:3
  7. Ecclesiastes 4:4 : See ch. 1:14
  8. Ecclesiastes 4:5 : Prov. 6:10; 24:33
  9. Ecclesiastes 4:5 : [Isa. 9:20]
  10. Ecclesiastes 4:6 : See Prov. 15:16
  11. Ecclesiastes 4:6 : ch. 6:5
  12. Ecclesiastes 4:7 : [See ver. 1 above]; ch. 9:11
  13. Ecclesiastes 4:8 : ch. 1:8; [Prov. 27:20; 1 John 2:16]
  14. Ecclesiastes 4:8 : ch. 2:18; Ps. 39:6
  15. Ecclesiastes 4:8 : See ch. 1:13
  16. Ecclesiastes 4:11 : See 1 Kgs. 1:1-4
  17. Ecclesiastes 4:13 : [ch. 9:15, 16]
  18. Ecclesiastes 4:13 : [Prov. 12:15]
  19. Ecclesiastes 4:14 : See Gen. 41:14, 41-43
  20. Ecclesiastes 4:16 : See ch. 1:14

You Might Also Like:

Ecclesiastes 4 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

4 And I have turned, and I see all the oppressions that are done under the sun, and lo, the tear of the oppressed, and they have no comforter; and at the hand of their oppressors [is] power, and they have no comforter. 2 And I am praising the dead who have already died above the living who are yet a...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 4 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

4 I turned me to other things, and I saw false challenges, that be done under the sun (and I saw much oppression, that is done under the sun), and the tears of the guiltless, and (that) no man (was a) comforter; and that they destitute, either forsaken, of the help of all men, may not against-stand ...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 4 - World English Bible (WEB)

4 Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold, the tears of those who were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter. 2 Therefore I praised the dead who have been long dead more than t...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 4 - The Voice (VOICE)

4 Teacher: Then I looked again and saw all the oppression that happens under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and no one offered to help and comfort them. The oppressors exercise all the power, while the powerless have no one to help and comfort them. 2 It struck me that the dead are actu...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 4 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Futility of Human Labor4 Again I looked and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun, and behold,I saw the tears of the oppressed, but they have no comforter.Power is in the hand of their oppressors, but they had no comforter.2 So I considered the dead, who are already dead,more fortunate...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 4 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

4 Again I saw all the oppressions that are practiced under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had 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 thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than t...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 4 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

4 Again I saw all the oppressions that are practised under the sun. Look, the tears of the oppressed—with no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power—with no one to comfort them. 2 And I thought the dead, who have already died, more fortunate than the living, who are sti...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 4 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

4 Again I saw all the oppressions that are practiced under the sun. Look, the tears of the oppressed—with no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power—with no one to comfort them.(A)2 And I commended the dead, who have already died, more than the living, who are still aliv...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 4 - New Living Translation (NLT)

4 Again, I observed all the oppression that takes place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, with no one to comfort them. The oppressors have great power, and their victims are helpless. 2 So I concluded that the dead are better off than the living. 3 But most fortunate of all are those ...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 4 - New Life Version (NLV)

4 Then I saw all the bad powers that were ruling under the sun. I saw the tears of the people who were suffering under these powers, with no one to comfort them. Those who made it hard for them had the power. But the people had no one to comfort them. 2 So I thought that those who are already dead ...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 4 - New King James Version (NKJV)

The Uselessness of Selfish Toil4 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 alr...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 4 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Oppression, toil, friendlessness4 Again I looked and saw all the oppression 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.2 And I declared that the dead, who had already died,ar...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 4 - New International Version (NIV)

Oppression, Toil, Friendlessness4 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 ...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 4 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Suffering, Hard Work and No Friends4 I looked and saw how much people were suffering on this earth.I saw the tears of those who are suffering. They don’t have anyone to comfort them.Power is on the side of those who treat them badly. Those who are suffering don’t have anyone to comfort them.2 Then I...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 4 - New English Translation (NET)

Evil Oppression on Earth4 So[a] I again considered[b] all the oppression[c] that continually occurs[d] on earth.[e]This is what I saw:[f]The oppressed[g] were in tears,[h] but no one was comforting them;no one delivers[i] them from the power of their oppressors.[j]2 So I considered[k] those who are ...
Read More