Ecclesiastes 4
4
1 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. 2Therefore I praised the dead who have been long dead more than the living who are yet alive. 3Yes, better than them both is him who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun. 4Then I saw all the labour and achievement that is the envy of a man’s neighbour. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
5 The fool folds his hands together and ruins himself. 6Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labour and chasing after wind.
7 Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun. 8There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labour, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. “For whom then do I labour and deprive my soul of enjoyment?” This also is vanity. Yes, it is a miserable business.
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labour. 10For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and doesn’t have another to lift him up. 11Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one keep warm alone? 12If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
13 Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who doesn’t know how to receive admonition any more. 14For out of prison he came out to be king; yes, even in his kingdom he was born poor. 15I saw all the living who walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the other, who succeeded him. 16There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was—yet those who come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
Currently Selected:
Ecclesiastes 4: WEBBE
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
PUBLIC DOMAIN. "World English Bible" is trademark of eBible.org.
Kohelet (Ecc) 4
4
1But I turned away and thought about all the kinds of oppression being done under the sun.
I saw the tears of the oppressed,
and they had no one to comfort them.
The power was on the side of their oppressors,
and they had no one to comfort them.
2So I considered the dead happier, because they were already dead, than the living, who must still live their lives; 3but happier than either of them is the one who has not yet been born, because he has not yet seen the evil things that are done under the sun.
4Next I realized that all effort and achievement stem from one person’s envy of another. This too is futility and feeding on wind.
5Fools fold their arms together
and eat their own flesh away.
6Better an armload with tranquillity
than both arms full of effort and feeding on wind.
7Then I turned my attention to something else under the sun that is pointless: 8the situation in which a solitary individual without a companion, with neither son nor brother, keeps on working endlessly but never has enough wealth. “For whom” [he should ask], “am I working so hard and denying myself pleasure?” This too is truly pointless, a sorry business.
9Two are better than one, in that their cooperative efforts yield this advantage: 10if one of them falls, the other will help his partner up — woe to him who is alone when he falls and has no one to help him up. 11Again, if two people sleep together, they keep each other warm; but how can one person be warm by himself? 12Moreover, an attacker may defeat someone who is alone, but two can resist him; and a three-stranded cord is not easily broken.
13Better a youth who is poor but wise
than a king who is old but foolish,
no longer willing to listen to advice.
14True, he rose from prison to be king;
yet, while ruling, he became poor.
15I observed that all who live and walk under the sun took the side of the youth mentioned first who would rule in place of the king, 16and that no limit was set for the number of his subjects. Nevertheless, those who come afterwards will not regard him highly. This too is certainly pointless and feeding on wind.
17Watch your step when you go to the house of God. Offering to listen is better than fools offering sacrifices, because they don’t discern whether or not they are doing evil.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
For more information and to purchase a hard copy of the Complete Jewish Bible,
Learn More About Complete Jewish Bible