Ecclesiastes 4
4
Evil Under the Sun
1#Ecc 3:16; 5:8Again I saw all types of oppression that are done under the sun:
Look! The tears of the oppressed,
and no one was there to comfort them.
And there was force from the hand of the oppressors,
and no one was there to comfort them.
2#Ecc 2:17 And I thought that fortunate were the dead
who had already died,
even more than the living
who were still alive.
3#Lk 23:29 And still better than both
is he who has not been,
who has not seen the evil deeds
that are done under the sun.
4#Ecc 1:14; 2:21Then I saw that all toil and every skillful work come from one man’s envy of another. This also is vanity and like chasing the wind.
5#Isa 9:20 The fool folds his hands
and eats his own flesh.
6#Pr 15:16–17; 16:8 Better is a full hand of quietness
than handfuls of toil and chasing the wind.
7#Ecc 4:1Again, I saw vanity under the sun:
8#Pr 27:20; Ecc 1:8 There is a man who is alone,
neither having son or brother,
and there is not an end to all his toil,
and his eyes are not satisfied with riches to say,
“For whom do I labor
and cause my life to lack good things?”
Also this is vanity
and a burdensome task.
9Two are better than one,
because there is a good reward for their labor together.
10For if they fall,
then one will help up his companion.
But woe to him who is alone when he falls
and has no one to help him up.
11Also if two lie down together, then they will keep warm;
but how can one keep warm by himself?
12And if someone might overpower another by himself,
two together can withstand him.
A threefold cord is not quickly broken.
The Vanity of Status
13#Ecc 9:15–16Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who will no longer be admonished. 14#Ge 41:14For out of prison he has come to reign, even though he was born poor in the kingdom. 15Then I saw all those who live and walk under the sun, along with the next youth who will arise in the king’s place. 16#Ecc 1:14There is no end of all the people, to all who were before them. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and chasing the wind.
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Military Bible Association
Ecclesiastes 4
4
Is It Better to Be Dead?
1Again I saw that many people are treated badly. I saw their tears, and I saw that there was no one to comfort them. I saw that cruel people had all the power, and I saw that there was no one to comfort the people they hurt. 2I decided that it is better for those who have died than for those who are still alive. 3And it is even better for those who die at birth, because they never saw the evil that is done in this world.#4:3 in this world Literally, “under the sun.”
Why Work So Hard?
4Then I thought, “Why do people work so hard?” I saw people try to succeed and be better than other people. They do this because they are jealous. They don’t want other people to have more than they have. This is senseless. It is like trying to catch the wind.#4:4 trying to catch the wind Or “It is very troubling to the spirit.” The word for “troubling” can also mean “craving,” and the word for “spirit” can also mean “wind.” Also in verse 16.
5Some people say, “It is foolish to fold your hands and do nothing. If you don’t work, you will starve to death.” 6Maybe that is true. But I say it is better to be satisfied with the few things you have than to always be struggling to get more.
7Again I saw something else that didn’t make sense: 8I saw a man who has no family, not a son or even a brother. But he continues to work very hard. He is never satisfied with what he has. And he works so hard that he never stops and asks himself, “Why am I working so hard? Why don’t I let myself enjoy my life?” This is also a very bad and senseless thing.
Friends and Family Give Strength
9Two people are better than one. When two people work together, they get more work done.
10If one person falls, the other person can reach out to help. But those who are alone when they fall have no one to help them.
11If two people sleep together, they will be warm. But a person sleeping alone will not be warm.
12An enemy might be able to defeat one person, but two people can stand back-to-back to defend each other. And three people are even stronger. They are like a rope that has three parts wrapped together—it is very hard to break.
People, Politics, and Popularity
13A young leader who is poor but wise is better than a king who is old but foolish. That old king does not listen to warnings. 14Maybe the young ruler was born a poor man in the kingdom. And maybe he came from prison to rule the country. 15But I have watched people in this life,#4:15 in this life Literally, “under the sun.” and I know this: People will follow that young man. He will become the new king. 16Many people will follow this young man. But later, those same people will not like him. This is also senseless. It is like trying to catch the wind.
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