Ecclesiastes 4 – search, read, and compare multiple versions of the Bible

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World English Bible Classic
[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. [2] Therefore I praised the dead who have been long dead more than the living who are yet alive. [3] Yes, better than them both is him who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun. [4] Then I saw all the labor and achievement that is the envy of a man’s neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind. [5] The fool folds his hands together and ruins himself. [6] Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and chasing after wind. [7] Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun. [8] There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. “For whom then do I labor 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 labor. [10] For 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. [11] Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one keep warm alone? [12] If 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. [14] For out of prison he came out to be king; yes, even in his kingdom he was born poor. [15] I saw all the living who walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the other, who succeeded him. [16] There 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.
King James Version
[1] So I returned, H7725 and conside§red H7200 all H3605 the oppressions H6217 that are done H6213 under the sun: H8121 and behold the tears H1832 of such as were oppressed, H6231 and they had no comforter; H5162 and on the side H3027 of their oppressors H6231 there was power; H3581 but they had no comforter. H5162 [2] Wherefore I praised H7623 the dead H4191 which are already H3528 dead H4191 more than the living H2416 which are yet H5728 alive. H2416 [3] Yea, better H2896 is he than both H8147 they, which hath not yet H5728 been, who hath not seen H7200 the evil H7451 H853 work H4639 that is done H6213 under the sun. H8121 [4] Again, I considered H7200 all H3605 travail, H5999 and every right H3788 work, H4639§ that for this a man H376 is envied H7068 of his neighbour. H7453§ This is also vanity H1892 and vexation H7469 of spirit. H7307 [5] The fool H3684 foldeth H2263 H853 his hands H3027 together, H2263 and eateth H398 H853 his own flesh. H1320 [6] Better H2896 is an handful H3709 with quietness, H5183 than both the hands H2651 full H4393 with travail H5999 and vexation H7469 of spirit. H7307 [7] Then I returned, H7725 and I saw H7200 vanity H1892 under the sun. H8121 [8] There is H3426 one H259 alone, and there is not a second; H8145 yea, he hath neither child H1121 nor brother: H251 yet is there no end H7093 of all his labour; H5999 neither is his eye H5869 satisfied H7646 with riches; H6239 neither saith he, For whom do I labour, H6001 and bereave H2637 H853 my soul H5315 of good? H2896 This is also vanity, H1892 yea, it is a sore H7451 travail. H6045 [9] Two H8147 are better H2896 than one; H259 because they have H3426 a good H2896 reward H7939 for their labour. H5999 [10] For H3588 if they fall, H5307 the one H259 will lift up H6965 H853 his fellow: H2270 but woe H337 to him that is alone H259 when he falleth; H5307 for he hath not another H8145 to help him up. H6965 [11] Again, H1571 if two H8147 lie together, H7901 then they have heat: H2552 but how can one H259 be warm H3179 alone? [12] And if one H259 prevail H8630 against him, two H8147 shall withstand H5975 him; and a threefold H8027 cord H2339 is not quickly H4120 broken. H5423 [13] Better H2896 is a poor H4542 and a wise H2450 child H3206 than an old H2205 and foolish H3684 king, H4428 who H834 will H3045 no more be admonished. H2094§ [14] For H3588 out of prison H631 H1004 he cometh H3318 to reign; H4427 whereas also he that is born H3205 in his kingdom H4438 becometh poor. H7326 [15] I considered H7200 all H3605 the living H2416 which H834 walk H1980 under the sun, H8121 with H5973 the second H8145 child H3206 that shall stand up H5975 in his stead. [16] There is no end H7093 of all the people, H5971 even of all that have been before H6440 them: they also that come after H314 shall H8055 not H3808 rejoice H8055 in him. Surely this also is vanity H1892 and vexation H7475 of spirit. H7307

Footnotes

  1. § 4:1 Heb. hand
  2. § 4:4a Heb. all the rightness of work
  3. § 4:4b Heb. this is the envy of a man from his neighbour
  4. § 4:13 Heb. who knoweth not to be admonished
Septuaginta
[1] Καὶ G2532 ἐπέστρεψα G1994 ἐγὼ G1473 καὶ G2532 εἶδον G1492 σὺν G4862 πάσας G3956 τὰς G3588 συκοφαντίας τὰς G3588 γινομένας G1096 ὑπὸ G5259 τὸν G3588 ἥλιον· G2246 καὶ G2532 ἰδοὺ G2400 δάκρυον G1144 τῶν G3588 συκοφαντουμένων, G4811 καὶ G2532 οὐκ G3756 ἔστιν G2076 αὐτοῖς G846 παρακαλῶν, G3870 καὶ G2532 ἀπὸ G575 χειρὸς G5495 συκοφαντούντων G4811 αὐτοὺς G846 ἰσχύς, G2479 καὶ G2532 οὐκ G3756 ἔστιν G2076 αὐτοῖς G846 παρακαλῶν. G3870 [2] Καὶ G2532 ἐπῄνεσα G1867 ἐγὼ G1473 σὺν G4862 τοὺς G3588 τεθνηκότας G2348 τοὺς G3588 ἤδη G2235 ἀποθανόντας G599 ὑπὲρ G5228 τοὺς G3588 ζῶντας, G2198 ὅσοι G3745 αὐτοὶ G846 ζῶσιν G2198 ἕως G2193 τοῦ G3588 νῦν· G3568 [3] καὶ G2532 ἀγαθὸς G18 ὑπὲρ G5228 τοὺς G3588 δύο G1417 τούτους G5128 ὅστις G3748 οὔπω G3768 ἐγένετο, G1096 ὃς G3739 οὐκ G3756 εἶδεν G1492 σὺν G4862 τὸ G3588 ποίημα G4161 τὸ G3588 πονηρὸν G4190 τὸ G3588 πεποιημένον G4160 ὑπὸ G5259 τὸν G3588 ἥλιον. G2246 [4] Καὶ G2532 εἶδον G1492 ἐγὼ G1473 σὺν G4862 πάντα G3956 τὸν G3588 μόχθον G3449 καὶ G2532 σὺν G4862 πᾶσαν G3956 ἀνδρείαν τοῦ G3588 ποιήματος, G4161 ὅτι G3754 αὐτὸ G846 ζῆλος G2205 ἀνδρὸς G435 ἀπὸ G575 τοῦ G3588 ἑταίρου G2083 αὐτοῦ· G846 καί G2532 γε G1065 τοῦτο G5124 ματαιότης G3153 καὶ G2532 προαίρεσις πνεύματος. G4151 [5] Ὁ G3588 ἄφρων G878 περιέλαβεν τὰς G3588 χεῖρας G5495 αὐτοῦ G846 καὶ G2532 ἔφαγεν G5315 τὰς G3588 σάρκας G4561 αὐτοῦ. G846 [6] Ἀγαθὸν G18 πλήρωμα G4138 δρακὸς ἀναπαύσεως G372 ὑπὲρ G5228 πλήρωμα G4138 δύο G1417 δρακῶν μόχθου G3449 καὶ G2532 προαιρέσεως πνεύματος. G4151 [7] Καὶ G2532 ἐπέστρεψα G1994 ἐγὼ G1473 καὶ G2532 εἶδον G1492 ματαιότητα G3153 ὑπὸ G5259 τὸν G3588 ἥλιον. G2246 [8] Ἔστιν G2076 εἷς, G1520 καὶ G2532 οὐκ G3756 ἔστιν G2076 δεύτερος, G1208 καί G2532 γε G1065 υἱὸς G5207 καὶ G2532 ἀδελφὸς G80 οὐκ G3756 ἔστιν G2076 αὐτῷ· G846 καὶ G2532 οὐκ G3756 ἔστιν G2076 περασμὸς τῷ G3588 παντὶ G3956 μόχθῳ G3449 αὐτοῦ, G846 καί G2532 γε G1065 ὀφθαλμὸς G3788 αὐτοῦ G846 οὐκ G3756 ἐμπίπλαται G1705 πλούτου. G4149 Καὶ G2532 τίνι G5101 ἐγὼ G1473 μοχθῶ καὶ G2532 στερίσκω τὴν G3588 ψυχήν G5590 μου G3450 ἀπὸ G575 ἀγαθωσύνης; G19 Καί G2532 γε G1065 τοῦτο G5124 ματαιότης G3153 καὶ G2532 περισπασμὸς πονηρός G4190 ἐστιν. G2076 [9] Ἀγαθοὶ G18 οἱ G3588 δύο G1417 ὑπὲρ G5228 τὸν G3588 ἕνα, G1520 οἷς G3739 ἔστιν G2076 αὐτοῖς G846 μισθὸς G3408 ἀγαθὸς G18 ἐν G1722 μόχθῳ G3449 αὐτῶν· G846 [10] ὅτι G3754 ἐὰν G1437 πέσωσιν, G4098 ὁ G3588 εἷς G1520 ἐγερεῖ G1453 τὸν G3588 μέτοχον G3353 αὐτοῦ, G846 καὶ G2532 οὐαὶ G3759 αὐτῷ G846 τῷ G3588 ἑνί, G1520 ὅταν G3752 πέσῃ G4098 καὶ G2532 μὴ G3361 ᾖ G5600 δεύτερος G1208 τοῦ G3588 ἐγεῖραι G1453 αὐτόν. G846 [11] Καί G2532 γε G1065 ἐὰν G1437 κοιμηθῶσιν G2837 δύο, G1417 καὶ G2532 θέρμη G2329 αὐτοῖς· G846 καὶ G2532 ὁ G3588 εἷς G1520 πῶς G4459 θερμανθῇ; G2328 [12] Καὶ G2532 ἐὰν G1437 ἐπικραταιωθῇ ὁ G3588 εἷς, G1520 οἱ G3588 δύο G1417 στήσονται G2476 κατέναντι G2713 αὐτοῦ, G846 καὶ G2532 τὸ G3588 σπαρτίον τὸ G3588 ἔντριτον οὐ G3756 ταχέως G5030 ἀπορραγήσεται. [13] Ἀγαθὸς G18 παῖς G3816 πένης G3993 καὶ G2532 σοφὸς G4680 ὑπὲρ G5228 βασιλέα G935 πρεσβύτερον G4245 καὶ G2532 ἄφρονα, G878 ὃς G3739 οὐκ G3756 ἔγνω G1097 τοῦ G3588 προσέχειν G4337 ἔτι· G2089 [14] ὅτι G3754 ἐξ G1537 οἴκου G3624 τῶν G3588 δεσμίων G1198 ἐξελεύσεται G1831 τοῦ G3588 βασιλεῦσαι, G936 ὅτι G3754 καί G2532 γε G1065 ἐν G1722 βασιλείᾳ G932 αὐτοῦ G846 ἐγεννήθη G1080 πένης. G3993 [15] Εἶδον G1492 σὺν G4862 πάντας G3956 τοὺς G3588 ζῶντας G2198 τοὺς G3588 περιπατοῦντας G4043 ὑπὸ G5259 τὸν G3588 ἥλιον G2246 μετὰ G3326 τοῦ G3588 νεανίσκου G3495 τοῦ G3588 δευτέρου, G1208 ὃς G3739 στήσεται G2476 ἀντ’ G473 αὐτοῦ, G846 [16] οὐκ G3756 ἔστιν G2076 περασμὸς τῷ G3588 παντὶ G3956 λαῷ, G2992 τοῖς G3588 πᾶσιν, G3956 ὅσοι G3745 ἐγένοντο G1096 ἔμπροσθεν G1715 αὐτῶν· G846 καί G2532 γε G1065 οἱ G3588 ἔσχατοι G2078 οὐκ G3756 εὐφρανθήσονται G2165 ἐν G1722 αὐτῷ· G846 ὅτι G3754 καί G2532 γε G1065 τοῦτο G5124 ματαιότης G3153 καὶ G2532 προαίρεσις πνεύματος. G4151
Septuaginta, in place of Byzantine Greek New Testament