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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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Ecclesiastes 4
4
1Again 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. 2And I thought the dead, who have already died, more fortunate than the living, who are still alive; 3but better than both is the one who has not yet been, and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.
4Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from one person's envy of another. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.#4.4 Or a feeding on wind. See Hos 12.1
5Fools fold their hands
and consume their own flesh.
6Better is a handful with quiet
than two handfuls with toil,
and a chasing after wind.#4.6 Or a feeding on wind. See Hos 12.1
7Again, I saw vanity under the sun: 8the case of solitary individuals, without sons or brothers; yet there is no end to all their toil, and their eyes are never satisfied with riches. “For whom am I toiling,” they ask, “and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vanity and an unhappy business.
The Value of a Friend
9Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help. 11Again, if two lie together, they keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone? 12And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one. A threefold cord is not quickly broken.
13Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king, who will no longer take advice. 14One can indeed come out of prison to reign, even though born poor in the kingdom. 15I saw all the living who, moving about under the sun, follow that#4.15 Heb the second youth who replaced the king;#4.15 Heb him 16there was no end to all those people whom he led. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.#4.16 Or a feeding on wind. See Hos 12.1
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New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.