Ecclesiastes 4 Parallel Bible Translations

Ecclesiastes 4 ▼
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1 Next, I turned to look at all the acts of oppression that make people suffer under the sun. Look at the tears of those who suffer! No one can comfort them. Their oppressors have [all] the power. No one can comfort those who suffer. Again I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them. Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed— and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors— and they have no comforter.
2 I congratulate the dead, who have already died, rather than the living, who still have to carry on. And I thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive. And I declared that the dead, who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive.
3 But the person who hasn't been born yet is better off than both of them. He hasn't seen the evil that is done under the sun. But better than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun. But better than both is the one who has never been born, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.
4 Then I saw that all hard work and skillful effort come from rivalry. Even this is pointless. [It's like] trying to catch the wind. Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind. And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
5 A fool folds his hands and wastes away. The fool folds his hands and eats his own flesh. Fools fold their hands and ruin themselves.
6 One handful of peace and quiet is better than two handfuls of hard work and of trying to catch the wind. Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind. Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.
7 Next, I turned to look at something pointless under the sun: Again, I saw vanity under the sun: Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:
8 There are people who are all alone. They have no children or other family members. So there is no end to all the hard work they have to do. Their eyes are never satisfied with riches. But [they never ask themselves] why they are working so hard and depriving themselves of good things. Even this is pointless and a terrible tragedy. one person who has no other, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vanity and an unhappy business. There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. “For whom am I toiling,” he asked, “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?” This too is meaningless— a miserable business!
9 Two people are better than one because [together] they have a good reward for their hard work. Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:
10 If one falls, the other can help his friend get up. But how tragic it is for the one who is [all] alone when he falls. There is no one to help him get up. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.
11 Again, if two people lie down together, they can keep warm, but how can one person keep warm? Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one person may be overpowered by another, two people can resist one opponent. A triple-braided rope is not easily broken. And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
13 A young man who is poor and wise is better than an old, foolish king who won't take advice any longer. Better was a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how to take advice. Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning.
14 A young man came out of prison to rule as king, even though he had been born in poverty in that same kingdom. For he went from prison to the throne, though in his own kingdom he had been born poor. The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom.
15 I saw all living people moving about under the sun. They sided with the second young man, the king's successor. I saw all the living who move about under the sun, along with that youth who was to stand in the king’s place. I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor.
16 There was no end to all those people, everyone whom he led.?kings[.|> But those who will come later will not be happy with the successor. Even this is pointless.]It's like[ trying to catch the wind.] There was no end of all the people, all of whom he led. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind. There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
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