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.
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Kohelet (Ecc) 4: CJB
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Learn More About Complete Jewish BibleEcclesiastes 4
4
1So 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. 2Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive. 3Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
4Again, 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. 5The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh. 6Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.
7Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun. 8There 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. 9Two 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 that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. 11Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? 12And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
13Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished. 14For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor. 15I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead. 16There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
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