ECCLESIASTES
Chapter 4
| Eccl | LEB | 4:1 | I looked again, and I saw all the oppression that occurs under the sun. ⌞I saw the tears of the oppressed— no one comforts them! Those who oppress them are powerful— no one can comfort them⌟! | |
| Eccl | LEB | 4:2 | So I deemed the dead who have already died more fortunate than the living who are still alive. | |
| Eccl | LEB | 4:3 | But better off than both of them is the one who has not yet been born and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun. | |
| Eccl | LEB | 4:4 | I also realized that all of the toil and all of the skillful work that is done—it is envy between one man and ⌞another⌟. This also is vanity and chasing wind! | |
| Eccl | LEB | 4:5 | ⌞The fool refuses to work with his hands, so he has nothing to eat except his own skin⌟! | |
| Eccl | LEB | 4:8 | Sometimes a man is all alone with no companion; he also has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eye is not satisfied with wealth. He laments, “For whom am I toiling and depriving ⌞myself⌟ of pleasure?” This also is vanity—it is an unhappy business! | |
| Eccl | LEB | 4:10 | For if one falls, his companion may help him up. But pity the one who falls and there is ⌞no one⌟ to help him up. | |
| Eccl | LEB | 4:11 | Also if two lie together, ⌞they can keep each other warm⌟. But how can one person be warm? | |
| Eccl | LEB | 4:12 | ⌞Although an assailant may overpower one person, two may withstand him⌟. A threefold cord ⌞is not easily broken⌟! | |
| Eccl | LEB | 4:13 | A poor but wise youth is better than an old but foolish king who no longer knows ⌞how to receive advice⌟. | |
| Eccl | LEB | 4:14 | For he came out of the prison house to reign, ⌞since he was born poor in his kingdom⌟. | |
| Eccl | LEB | 4:15 | I saw all the living who move about under the sun with the youth; the second who will stand in his place. | |