Ecclesiastes 4:1-13
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 4
1Then I looked again at all the acts of oppression which were being done under the sun. And behold, I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had no one to comfort them; and power was on the side of their oppressors, but they had no one to comfort them. 2So I congratulated the dead who are already dead, more than the living who are still living. 3But better off than both of them is the one who has never existed, who has never seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.
4I have seen that every labor and every skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a person and his neighbor. This too is futility and striving after wind.
5The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.
6One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.
7Then I looked again at futility under the sun.
8There was a man without a dependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches, and he never asked, 'And for whom do I labor and deprive myself of pleasure?' This too is futility, and it is an unhappy task.
9Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor;
10for if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up!
11Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone?
12And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.
King James Version
3Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
4Again, 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.
6Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.
7Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.
8There 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.
9Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 4
1Again, I observed all the acts of oppression being done under the sun. Look at the tears of those who are oppressed; they have no one to comfort them. Power is with those who oppress them; they have no one to comfort them. 2So I commended the dead, who have already died, more than the living, who are still alive. 3But better than either of them is the one who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.
5The fool folds his arms and consumes his own flesh.
6Better one handful with rest than two handfuls with effort and a pursuit of the wind.
7Again, I saw futility under the sun:
8There is a person without a companion, without even a son or brother, and though there is no end to all his struggles, his eyes are still not content with riches. "Who am I struggling for," he asks, "and depriving myself of good things?" This too is futile and a miserable task.
9Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts.
10For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up.
11Also, if two lie down together, they can keep warm; but how can one person alone keep warm?
12And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.
New Living Translation
Chapter 4
1Again, I observed all the oppression that takes place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, with no one to comfort them. The oppressors have great power, and their victims are helpless. 2So I concluded that the dead are better off than the living. 3But most fortunate of all are those who are not yet born. For they have not seen all the evil that is done under the sun.
7I observed yet another example of something meaningless under the sun.
8This is the case of a man who is all alone, without a child or a brother, yet who works hard to gain as much wealth as he can. But then he asks himself, 'Who am I working for? Why am I giving up so much pleasure now?' It is all so meaningless and depressing.
9Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed.
10If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.
11Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone?
12A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.
English Standard Version
Chapter 4
1Again 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. 2And I thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive. 3But better than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.
7Again, I saw vanity under the sun:
8one 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.
9Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.
10For 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!
11Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?
12And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him — a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
New International Version
Chapter 4
1Again 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. 2And I declared that the dead, who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive. 3But better than both is the one who has never been born, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.
5Fools fold their hands and ruin themselves.
6Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.
8There 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!
9Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:
10If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.
11Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?
12Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
New King James Version
Chapter 4
1Then I returned and considered all the oppression that is done under the sun: And look! The tears of the oppressed, But they have no comforter— On the side of their oppressors there is power, But they have no comforter. 2 Therefore I praised the dead who were already dead, More than the living who are still alive. 3 Yet, better than both is he who has never existed, Who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
5 The fool folds his hands And consumes his own flesh.
6 Better a handful with quietness Than both hands full, together with toil and grasping for the wind.
8There is one alone, without companion: He has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end to all his labors, Nor is his eye satisfied with riches. But he never asks, “For whom do I toil and deprive myself of good?” This also is vanity and a grave misfortune.
9Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor.
10For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up.
11Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone?
12Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
13Better a poor and wise youth Than an old and foolish king who will be admonished no more.
