Ecclesiastes 4 Parallel Bible Translations

Ecclesiastes 4 ▼
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NABRE
New American Bible Revised
ESV
English Standard Version
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New International Version
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1 Again I saw all the oppressions that take place under the sun: the tears of the victims with none to comfort them! From the hand of their oppressors comes violence, and there is none to comfort them! 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 And those now dead, I declared more fortunate in death than are the living to be 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 And better off than both is the yet unborn, who has not seen the wicked work 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 toil and skillful work is the rivalry of one person with another. This also is vanity and a chase after 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 “Fools fold their arms and consume their own flesh”— The fool folds his hands and eats his own flesh. Fools fold their hands and ruin themselves.
6 Better is one handful with tranquility than two with toil and a chase after 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 Again I saw this vanity under the sun: Again, I saw vanity under the sun: Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:
8 those all alone with no companion, with neither child nor sibling—with no end to all their toil, and no satisfaction from riches. For whom do I toil and deprive myself of good things? This also is vanity and a bad business. 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: They get a good wage for their toil. 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 the one falls, the other will help the fallen one. But woe to the solitary person! If that one should fall, there is no other to help. 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 So also, if two sleep together, they keep each other warm. How can one alone 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 Where one alone may be overcome, two together can resist. A three-ply cord 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 Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows caution; 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 for from a prison house he came forth to reign; despite his kingship he was born 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 saw all the living, those who move about under the sun, with the second youth who will succeed him. 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 is no end to all this people, to all who were before them; yet the later generations will not have joy in him. This also is vanity and a chase 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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