Ecclesiastes 4 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible

World English Bible

Ecclesiastes 4 (WEBP)

[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.

Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.

King James w/Strong’s #s

Ecclesiastes 4 (KJVS)

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

Ecclesiastes 4:1 Heb. hand
Ecclesiastes 4:4a Heb. all the rightness of work
Ecclesiastes 4:4b Heb. this is the envy of a man from his neighbour
Ecclesiastes 4:13 Heb. who knoweth not to be admonished

Scripture quotations from The Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible, using the standardized text of 1769. It is in the public domain.

Greek Bible (LXX/BYZ)

Ecclesiastes 4 (BYZ)

[1] και επεστρεψα εγω και ειδον συν πασας τας συκοφαντιας τας γινομενας υπο τον ηλιον και ιδου δακρυον των συκοφαντουμενων και ουκ εστιν αυτοις παρακαλων και απο χειρος συκοφαντουντων αυτους ισχυς και ουκ εστιν αυτοις παρακαλων
[2] και επηνεσα εγω συν τους τεθνηκοτας τους ηδη αποθανοντας υπερ τους ζωντας οσοι αυτοι ζωσιν εως του νυν
[3] και αγαθος υπερ τους δυο τουτους οστις ουπω εγενετο ος ουκ ειδεν συν το ποιημα το πονηρον το πεποιημενον υπο τον ηλιον
[4] και ειδον εγω συν παντα τον μοχθον και συν πασαν ανδρειαν του ποιηματος οτι αυτο ζηλος ανδρος απο του εταιρου αυτου και γε τουτο ματαιοτης και προαιρεσις πνευματος
[5] ο αφρων περιελαβεν τας χειρας αυτου και εφαγεν τας σαρκας αυτου
[6] αγαθον πληρωμα δρακος αναπαυσεως υπερ πληρωμα δυο δρακων μοχθου και προαιρεσεως πνευματος
[7] και επεστρεψα εγω και ειδον ματαιοτητα υπο τον ηλιον
[8] εστιν εις και ουκ εστιν δευτερος και γε υιος και αδελφος ουκ εστιν αυτω και ουκ εστιν περασμος τω παντι μοχθω αυτου και γε οφθαλμος αυτου ουκ εμπιπλαται πλουτου και τινι εγω μοχθω και στερισκω την ψυχην μου απο αγαθωσυνης και γε τουτο ματαιοτης και περισπασμος πονηρος εστιν
[9] αγαθοι οι δυο υπερ τον ενα οις εστιν αυτοις μισθος αγαθος εν μοχθω αυτων
[10] οτι εαν πεσωσιν ο εις εγερει τον μετοχον αυτου και ουαι αυτω τω ενι οταν πεση και μη η δευτερος του εγειραι αυτον
[11] και γε εαν κοιμηθωσιν δυο και θερμη αυτοις και ο εις πως θερμανθη
[12] και εαν επικραταιωθη ο εις οι δυο στησονται κατεναντι αυτου και το σπαρτιον το εντριτον ου ταχεως απορραγησεται
[13] αγαθος παις πενης και σοφος υπερ βασιλεα πρεσβυτερον και αφρονα ος ουκ εγνω του προσεχειν ετι
[14] οτι εξ οικου των δεσμιων εξελευσεται του βασιλευσαι οτι και γε εν βασιλεια αυτου εγεννηθη πενης
[15] ειδον συν παντας τους ζωντας τους περιπατουντας υπο τον ηλιον μετα του νεανισκου του δευτερου ος στησεται αντ αυτου
[16] ουκ εστιν περασμος τω παντι λαω τοις πασιν οσοι εγενοντο εμπροσθεν αυτων και γε οι εσχατοι ουκ ευφρανθησονται εν αυτω οτι και γε τουτο ματαιοτης και προαιρεσις πνευματος

The Greek New Testament According to the Byzantine Text (Guardian Press, Inc., Robinson-Pierpont Byzantine Textform, 2026). Dedicated to the public domain by Guardian Press, Inc. and J. Jeffrey Dodson.