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Ecclesiastes 4:1-8
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 4
1
Then I looked again at all the acts of oppression which were being done under the sun. And behold,
I saw
the tears of the oppressed and
that
they had no one to comfort
them;
and power was on the side of their oppressors, but they had no one to comfort
them.
2
So I congratulated the dead who are already dead, more than the living who are still living.
3
But better
off
than both of them is the one who has never existed, who has never seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.
4
I have seen that every labor and every skill which is done is
the result of
rivalry between a person and his neighbor. This too is futility and striving after wind.
5
The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.
6
One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.
7
Then I looked again at futility under the sun.
8
There was a man without a dependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches,
and he never asked,
'And for whom do I labor and deprive myself of pleasure?' This too is futility, and it is an unhappy task.
King James Version
Chapter 4
1
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.
Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 4
1
Again, I observed all the acts of oppression being done under the sun. Look at the tears of those who are oppressed; they have no one to comfort them. Power is with those who oppress them; they have no one to comfort them.
2
So I commended the dead, who have already died, more than the living, who are still alive.
3
But better than either of them is the one who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.
4
I saw that all labor and all skillful work is due to one person’s jealousy of another. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
5
The fool folds his arms
and consumes his own flesh.
6
Better one handful with rest
than two handfuls with effort and a pursuit of the wind.
7
Again, I saw futility under the sun:
8
There is a person without a companion, without even a son or brother, and though there is no end to all his struggles, his eyes are still not content with riches. "Who am I struggling for," he asks, "and depriving myself of good things?" This too is futile and a miserable task.
New Living Translation
Chapter 4
1
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 who are not yet born. For they have not seen all the evil that is done under the sun.
4
Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless — like chasing the wind.
5
'Fools fold their idle hands,
leading them to ruin.'
6
And yet,
'Better to have one handful with quietness
than two handfuls with hard work
and chasing the wind.'
7
I observed yet another example of something meaningless under the sun.
8
This is the case of a man who is all alone, without a child or a brother, yet who works hard to gain as much wealth as he can. But then he asks himself, 'Who am I working for? Why am I giving up so much pleasure now?' It is all so meaningless and depressing.
English Standard Version
Chapter 4
1
Again I saw all the oppressions that are done 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 the living who are still alive.
3
But 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 vanity and a striving after wind.
5
The fool folds his hands and eats his own flesh.
6
Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.
7
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 eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, "For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?" This also is vanity and an unhappy business.
New International Version
Chapter 4
1
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,
are happier than the living,
who are still alive.
3
But better than both
is the one who has never been born,
who has not seen the evil
that is done under the sun.
4
And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
5
Fools fold their hands
and ruin themselves.
6
Better one handful with tranquillity
than two handfuls with toil
and chasing after the wind.
7
Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:
8
There was a man all alone;
he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
"For whom am I toiling," he asked,
"and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?"
This too is meaningless—
a miserable business!
New King James Version
Chapter 4
1
Then I returned and considered all the oppression that is done under the sun:
And look! The tears of the oppressed,
But they have no comforter—
On the side of their oppressors
there is
power,
But they have no comforter.
2
Therefore I praised the dead who were already dead,
More than the living who are still alive.
3
Yet, better than both
is he
who has never existed,
Who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
4
Again, I saw that for all toil and every skillful work a man is envied by his neighbor. This also
is
vanity and grasping for the wind.
5
The fool folds his hands
And consumes his own flesh.
6
Better a handful
with
quietness
Than both hands full,
together with
toil and grasping for the wind.
7
Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun:
8
There is one alone, without companion:
He has neither son nor brother.
Yet
there is
no end to all his labors,
Nor is his eye satisfied with riches.
But
he never asks,
“For whom do I toil and deprive myself of good?”
This also
is
vanity and a grave misfortune.
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