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 the violence of them.

2 And I praised more dead men than living men; (And I praised the dead more than the living;)

3 and I deemed him, that was not born yet, and saw not the evils that be done under the sun, to be more blessed than ever either. (and I judged him, who was not yet born, and saw not the evils that be done under the sun, to be more blessed than either the living or the dead.)

4 Again I beheld all the travails of men, and busynesses; and I perceived that those be open to [the] envy of the neighbour; and therefore in this is vanity (and so this is emptiness and futility), and superfluous busyness.

5 A fool foldeth together his hands, and eateth his flesh (and eateth his meat),

6 and saith, Better is an handful, with rest, than ever either hand full, with travail and torment of soul.

7 I beheld and found also another vanity under the sun; (I looked and found more emptiness and futility under the sun;)

8 one there is, and he hath not a second; neither a son, nor a brother; and nevertheless he ceaseth not to travail, neither his eyes be (ful)filled with riches; neither he bethinketh (to) him(self), and saith, To whom travail I, and deceive my soul in goods? In this also is vanity, and the worst torment. (one is alone, and he hath not a second, or someone with him; neither a son, nor a brother; and yet he ceaseth not to labour, and his eyes be not fulfilled with his riches; nor he thinketh to himself, and saith, For whom do I labour, and deprive myself of the enjoyment of good things? This is also empty and futile, and the worst torment.)

9 Therefore it is better, that two be together than one; for they have profit of their fellowship. (And so it is better, that two be together, rather than that they be alone; for they shall have profit, or shall benefit, from their fellowship.)

10 If one falleth down, he shall be underset of the tother; woe to him that is alone, for when he falleth, he hath none to raise him up. (If one falleth down, he shall be helped up by the other; woe to him who is alone, for when he falleth, he hath no one to raise him up again.)

11 And if twain sleep together, they shall be nourished together; (but) how shall one be made hot?

12 And if any man hath [the] mastery against one, twain against-stand him; a threefold cord is broken of hard (a threefold cord is much harder to break).

13 A poor man and wise is better than an eld king and fool(ish), that cannot before-see into time to coming. (A poor person who is wise, is better than an old king who is foolish, and who cannot foresee into the time to come, or who will not listen to good advice.)

14 For sometime a man goeth out, both from prison and chains, to a realm (and becometh a king); and another, born into a realm, is wasted by neediness.

15 I saw all men living that go under the sun, with the second young waxing man, that shall rise (up) for him. (I saw all the living who go under the sun, and yet for each, someone young shall rise up, and shall take their place.)

16 The number of people, of all that were before him, is great without measure, and they that shall come afterward, shall not be glad in him; but also this is vanity and torment of the spirit. (The number of all the people, who be under him, is great without measure, and yet they who shall come after, shall not be grateful to him; but this is also empty and futile, like chasing the wind.)

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