Ecclesiastes 4 - King James Version (KJV)

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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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...
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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 ...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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...
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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...
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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 ...
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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...
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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 ...
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