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 still alive; 3 but better than both is the one 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 one person’s envy of another. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.[a]

5 Fools fold their hands
and consume their own flesh.
6 Better is a handful with quiet
than two handfuls with toil,
and a chasing after wind.[b]

7 Again, I saw vanity under the sun: 8 the case of solitary individuals, without sons or brothers; yet there is no end to all their toil, and their eyes are never satisfied with riches. ‘For whom am I toiling’, they ask, ‘and depriving myself of pleasure?’ This also is vanity and an unhappy business.

The Value of a Friend

9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help. 11 Again, if two lie together, they keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone? 12 And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one. A threefold cord is not quickly broken.

13 Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king, who will no longer take advice. 14 One can indeed come out of prison to reign, even though born poor in the kingdom. 15 I saw all the living who, moving about under the sun, follow that[c] youth who replaced the king;[d] 16 there was no end to all those people whom he led. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.[e]

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 4:4 Or a feeding on wind. See Hos 12.1
  2. Ecclesiastes 4:6 Or a feeding on wind. See Hos 12.1
  3. Ecclesiastes 4:15 Heb the second
  4. Ecclesiastes 4:15 Heb him
  5. Ecclesiastes 4:16 Or a feeding on wind. See Hos 12.1

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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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