Ecclesiastes 3 | Biblion Bible Reader

WEB·Ecclesiastes 4

¹Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold, the tears of those who were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.

KJVSo I returned^H7725^(H8804), and considered^H7200^(H8799) all the oppressions^H6217 that are done^H6213^(H8737) under the sun^H8121: and behold the tears^H1832 of such as were oppressed^H6231^(H8803), and they had no comforter^H5162^(H8764); and on the side^H3027 of their oppressors^H6231^(H8802) there was power^H3581; but they had no comforter^H5162^(H8764).

² Therefore I praised the dead who have been long dead more than the living who are yet alive.

KJVWherefore I praised^H7623^(H8764) the dead^H4191^(H8801) which are already^H3528 dead^H4191^(H8804) more than the living^H2416 which are yet^H5728 alive^H2416.

³ Yes, better than them both is him who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

KJVYea, better^H2896 is he than both^H8147 they, which hath not yet^H5728 been, who hath not seen^H7200^(H8804) the evil^H7451 work^H4639 that is done^H6213^(H8738) under the sun^H8121.

⁴ Then I saw all the labor and achievement that is the envy of a man’s neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

KJVAgain, I considered^H7200^(H8804) all travail^H5999, and every right^H3788 work^H4639, that for this a man^H376 is envied^H7068 of his neighbour^H7453. This is also vanity^H1892 and vexation^H7469 of spirit^H7307.

⁵ The fool folds his hands together and ruins himself.

KJVThe fool^H3684 foldeth^H2263 his hands^H3027 together^H2263^(H8802), and eateth^H398^(H8802) his own flesh^H1320.

⁶ Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and chasing after wind.

KJVBetter^H2896 is an handful^H3709 with quietness^H5183, than both the hands^H2651 full^H4393 with travail^H5999 and vexation^H7469 of spirit^H7307.

⁷ Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

KJVThen I returned^H7725^(H8804), and I saw^H7200^(H8799) vanity^H1892 under the sun^H8121.

⁸ There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. “For whom then do I labor and deprive my soul of enjoyment?” This also is vanity. Yes, it is a miserable business.

KJVThere is^H3426 one^H259 alone, and there is not a second^H8145; yea, he hath neither child^H1121 nor brother^H251: yet is there no end^H7093 of all his labour^H5999; neither is his eye^H5869 satisfied^H7646^(H8799) with riches^H6239; neither saith he, For whom do I labour^H6001, and bereave^H2637^(H8764) my soul^H5315 of good^H2896? This is also vanity^H1892, yea, it is a sore^H7451 travail^H6045.

⁹ Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.

KJVTwo^H8147 are better^H2896 than one^H259; because they have^H3426 a good^H2896 reward^H7939 for their labour^H5999.

¹⁰ For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and doesn’t have another to lift him up.

KJVFor if they fall^H5307^(H8799), the one^H259 will lift up^H6965^(H8686) his fellow^H2270: but woe^H337 to him that is alone^H259 when he falleth^H5307^(H8799); for he hath not another^H8145 to help him up^H6965^(H8687).

¹¹ Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one keep warm alone?

KJVAgain^H1571, if two^H8147 lie together^H7901^(H8799), then they have heat^H2552^(H8804): but how can one^H259 be warm^H3179^(H8799) alone?

¹² If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

KJVAnd if one^H259 prevail^H8630^(H8799) against him, two^H8147 shall withstand^H5975^(H8799) him; and a threefold^H8027^(H8794) cord^H2339 is not quickly^H4120 broken^H5423^(H8735).

¹³ Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who doesn’t know how to receive admonition any more.

KJVBetter^H2896 is a poor^H4542 and a wise^H2450 child^H3206 than an old^H2205 and foolish^H3684 king^H4428, who will^H3045^(H8804) no more be admonished^H2094^(H8736).

¹⁴ For out of prison he came out to be king; yes, even in his kingdom he was born poor.

KJVFor out of prison^H631^(H8803)^H1004 he cometh^H3318^(H8804) to reign^H4427^(H8800); whereas also he that is born^H3205^(H8738) in his kingdom^H4438 becometh poor^H7326^(H8802).

¹⁵ I saw all the living who walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the other, who succeeded him.

KJVI considered^H7200^(H8804) all the living^H2416 which walk^H1980^(H8764) under the sun^H8121, with the second^H8145 child^H3206 that shall stand up^H5975^(H8799) in his stead.

¹⁶ There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was—yet those who come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

KJVThere is no end^H7093 of all the people^H5971, even of all that have been before^H6440 them: they also that come after^H314 shall not rejoice^H8055^(H8799) in him. Surely this also is vanity^H1892 and vexation^H7475 of spirit^H7307.

WEB·Ecclesiastes 3

¹For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:

KJVTo every thing there is a season^H2165, and a time^H6256 to every purpose^H2656 under the heaven^H8064:

² a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

KJVA time^H6256 to be born^H3205^(H8800), and a time^H6256 to die^H4191^(H8800); a time^H6256 to plant^H5193^(H8800), and a time^H6256 to pluck up^H6131^(H8800) that which is planted^H5193^(H8803);

³ a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

KJVA time^H6256 to kill^H2026^(H8800), and a time^H6256 to heal^H7495^(H8800); a time^H6256 to break down^H6555^(H8800), and a time^H6256 to build up^H1129^(H8800);

⁴ a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

KJVA time^H6256 to weep^H1058^(H8800), and a time^H6256 to laugh^H7832^(H8800); a time^H6256 to mourn^H5594^(H8800), and a time^H6256 to dance^H7540^(H8800);

⁵ a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

KJVA time^H6256 to cast away^H7993^(H8687) stones^H68, and a time^H6256 to gather^H3664 stones^H68 together^H3664^(H8800); a time^H6256 to embrace^H2263^(H8800), and a time^H6256 to refrain^H7368^(H8800) from embracing^H2263^(H8763);

⁶ a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

KJVA time^H6256 to get^H1245^(H8763), and a time^H6256 to lose^H6^(H8763); a time^H6256 to keep^H8104^(H8800), and a time^H6256 to cast away^H7993^(H8687);

⁷ a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

KJVA time^H6256 to rend^H7167^(H8800), and a time^H6256 to sew^H8609^(H8800); a time^H6256 to keep silence^H2814^(H8800), and a time^H6256 to speak^H1696^(H8763);

⁸ a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

KJVA time^H6256 to love^H157^(H8800), and a time^H6256 to hate^H8130^(H8800); a time^H6256 of war^H4421, and a time^H6256 of peace^H7965.

⁹ What profit has he who works in that in which he labors?

KJVWhat profit^H3504 hath he that worketh^H6213^(H8802) in that wherein^H834 he laboureth^H6001?

¹⁰ I have seen the burden which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.

KJVI have seen^H7200^(H8804) the travail^H6045, which God^H430 hath given^H5414^(H8804) to the sons^H1121 of men^H120 to be exercised^H6031^(H8800) in it.

¹¹ He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts, yet so that man can’t find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end.

KJVHe hath made^H6213^(H8804) every thing beautiful^H3303 in his time^H6256: also he hath set^H5414^(H8804) the world^H5769 in their heart^H3820, so that^H1097 no man^H120 can find out^H4672^(H8799) the work^H4639 that God^H430 maketh^H6213^(H8804) from the beginning^H7218 to the end^H5490.

¹² I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live.

KJVI know^H3045^(H8804) that there is no good^H2896 in them, but for a man to rejoice^H8055^(H8800), and to do^H6213^(H8800) good^H2896 in his life^H2416.

¹³ Also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God.

KJVAnd also that every man^H120 should eat^H398^(H8799) and drink^H8354^(H8804), and enjoy^H7200^(H8804) the good^H2896 of all his labour^H5999, it is the gift^H4991 of God^H430.

¹⁴ I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; and God has done it, that men should fear before him.

KJVI know^H3045^(H8804) that, whatsoever God^H430 doeth^H6213^(H8799), it shall be for ever^H5769: nothing^H369 can be put^H3254^(H8687) to it, nor any thing taken^H1639^(H8800) from it: and God^H430 doeth^H6213^(H8804) it, that men should fear^H3372^(H8799) before^H6440 him.

¹⁵ That which is has been long ago, and that which is to be has been long ago. God seeks again that which is passed away.

KJVThat which hath been is now^H3528; and that which is to be hath already^H3528 been; and God^H430 requireth^H1245^(H8762) that which is past^H7291^(H8737).

¹⁶ Moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there.

KJVAnd moreover I saw^H7200^(H8804) under the sun^H8121 the place^H4725 of judgment^H4941, that wickedness^H7562 was there; and the place^H4725 of righteousness^H6664, that iniquity^H7562 was there.

¹⁷ I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”

KJVI said^H559^(H8804) in mine heart^H3820, God^H430 shall judge^H8199^(H8799) the righteous^H6662 and the wicked^H7563: for there is a time^H6256 there for every purpose^H2656 and for every work^H4639.

¹⁸ I said in my heart, “As for the sons of men, God tests them, so that they may see that they themselves are like animals.

KJVI said^H559^(H8804) in mine heart^H3820 concerning the estate^H1700 of the sons^H1121 of men^H120, that God^H430 might manifest^H1305^(H8800) them, and that they might see^H7200^(H8800) that they^H1992 themselves are beasts^H929.

¹⁹ For that which happens to the sons of men happens to animals. Even one thing happens to them. As the one dies, so the other dies. Yes, they have all one breath; and man has no advantage over the animals, for all is vanity.

KJVFor that which befalleth^H4745 the sons^H1121 of men^H120 befalleth^H4745 beasts^H929; even one thing^H259 befalleth^H4745 them: as the one dieth^H4194, so dieth^H4194 the other^H2088; yea, they have all one^H259 breath^H7307; so that a man^H120 hath no preeminence^H4195 above a beast^H929: for all is vanity^H1892.

²⁰ All go to one place. All are from the dust, and all turn to dust again.

KJVAll go^H1980^(H8802) unto one^H259 place^H4725; all are of the dust^H6083, and all turn^H7725 to dust^H6083 again^H7725^(H8804).

²¹ Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes downward to the earth?”

KJVWho knoweth^H3045^(H8802) the spirit^H7307 of man^H1121^H120 that goeth^H5927^(H8802) upward^H4605, and the spirit^H7307 of the beast^H929 that goeth^H3381^(H8802) downward^H4295 to the earth^H776?

²² Therefore I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his works, for that is his portion; for who can bring him to see what will be after him?

KJVWherefore I perceive^H7200^(H8804) that there is nothing better^H2896, than that a man^H120 should rejoice^H8055^(H8799) in his own works^H4639; for that is his portion^H2506: for who shall bring^H935^(H8686) him to see^H7200^(H8800) what shall be after^H310 him?

Section titles come from the Biblion commentary, not from Scripture.

You can also read or listen to the Introduction to the book of Ecclesiastes.