Ecclesiastes 4 Parallel Bible Translations

Ecclesiastes 4 ▼
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1 Next I turned to consider all kinds of oppression that exists on earth. Look at the tears of the oppressed— there is no one to comfort them. Power is on the side of their oppressors; so they have no comforters. 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 So I commended the dead who had already died as being happier than the living who are still alive. 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 Better than both of them is someone who has not yet been born, because he hasn't experienced evil on earth. 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 examined all sorts of work, including all kinds of excellent achievements that create envy in others. This also is pointless and chasing after 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 The fool crosses his arms and starves himself. The fool folds his hands and eats his own flesh. Fools fold their hands and ruin themselves.
6 It's better to have one handful of tranquility than to have two handfuls of trouble and to chase after 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 Then I turned to re-examine something else that is pointless on earth: Again, I saw vanity under the sun: Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:
8 Consider someone who is alone, having neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his work, and he is never satisfied with wealth. |So for whom do I work,| he asks, |and deprive myself of pleasure?| This, too, 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 are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. 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 they stumble, the first will lift up his friend—but woe to anyone who is alone when he falls and 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 lie close together, they will keep warm, but how can only one stay 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 If someone attacks one of them, the two of them together will resist. Furthermore, the tri-braided cord is not soon 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 poor but wise youth is better than an old but foolish king who will no longer accept correction. 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 The former can come out of prison to reign, while the latter, even if born to kingship, may become poor. 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 observed everyone who lives and walks on earth, along with the youth who will take the king's place. 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 of his subjects or to all of the people who had come before them. But those who come along afterward will not be happy with him. This is also pointless and a chasing after 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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