Ecclesiastes 4 | Biblion Bible Reader

WEB·Ecclesiastes 5

¹Guard your steps when you go to God’s house; for to draw near to listen is better than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they don’t know that they do evil.

KJVKeep^H8104^(H8798) thy foot^H7272 when thou goest^H3212^(H8799) to the house^H1004 of God^H430, and be more ready^H7138 to hear^H8085^(H8800), than to give^H5414^(H8800) the sacrifice^H2077 of fools^H3684: for they consider^H3045^(H8802) not that they do^H6213^(H8800) evil^H7451.

² Don’t be rash with your mouth, and don’t let your heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and you on earth. Therefore let your words be few.

KJVBe not rash^H926^(H8762) with thy mouth^H6310, and let not thine heart^H3820 be hasty^H4116^(H8762) to utter^H3318^(H8687) any thing^H1697 before^H6440 God^H430: for God^H430 is in heaven^H8064, and thou upon earth^H776: therefore let thy words^H1697 be few^H4592.

³ For as a dream comes with a multitude of cares, so a fool’s speech with a multitude of words.

KJVFor a dream^H2472 cometh^H935^(H8802) through the multitude^H7230 of business^H6045; and a fool's^H3684 voice^H6963 is known by multitude^H7230 of words^H1697.

⁴ When you vow a vow to God, don’t defer to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay that which you vow.

KJVWhen thou vowest^H5087^(H8799) a vow^H5088 unto God^H430, defer^H309^(H8762) not to pay^H7999^(H8763) it; for he hath no pleasure^H2656 in fools^H3684: pay^H7999^(H8761) that which thou hast vowed^H5087^(H8799).

⁵ It is better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay.

KJVBetter^H2896 is it that thou shouldest not vow^H5087^(H8799), than that thou shouldest vow^H5087^(H8799) and not pay^H7999^(H8762).

⁶ Don’t allow your mouth to lead you into sin. Don’t protest before the messenger that this was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice, and destroy the work of your hands?

KJVSuffer^H5414^(H8799) not thy mouth^H6310 to cause thy flesh^H1320 to sin^H2398^(H8687); neither say^H559^(H8799) thou before^H6440 the angel^H4397, that it was an error^H7684: wherefore should God^H430 be angry^H7107^(H8799) at thy voice^H6963, and destroy^H2254^(H8765) the work^H4639 of thine hands^H3027?

⁷ For in the multitude of dreams there are vanities, as well as in many words; but you must fear God.

KJVFor in the multitude^H7230 of dreams^H2472 and many^H7235^(H8687) words^H1697 there are also divers vanities^H1892: but fear^H3372^(H8798) thou God^H430.

⁸ If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a district, don’t marvel at the matter, for one official is eyed by a higher one, and there are officials over them.

KJVIf thou seest^H7200^(H8799) the oppression^H6233 of the poor^H7326^(H8802), and violent^H1499 perverting of judgment^H4941 and justice^H6664 in a province^H4082, marvel^H8539^(H8799) not at the matter^H2656: for he that is higher^H1364 than the highest^H1364 regardeth^H8104^(H8802); and there be higher^H1364 than they^H5921.

⁹ Moreover the profit of the earth is for all. The king profits from the field.

KJVMoreover the profit^H3504 of the earth^H776 is for all: the king^H4428 himself is served^H5647^(H8738) by the field^H7704.

¹⁰ He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity.

KJVHe that loveth^H157^(H8802) silver^H3701 shall not be satisfied^H7646^(H8799) with silver^H3701; nor he that loveth^H157^(H8802) abundance^H1995 with increase^H8393: this is also vanity^H1892.

¹¹ When goods increase, those who eat them are increased; and what advantage is there to its owner, except to feast on them with his eyes?

KJVWhen goods^H2896 increase^H7235^(H8800), they are increased^H7231^(H8804) that eat^H398^(H8802) them: and what good^H3788 is there to the owners^H1167 thereof, saving^H518 the beholding^H7207^(H8675)^H7212^(H8801) of them with their eyes^H5869?

¹² The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not allow him to sleep.

KJVThe sleep^H8142 of a labouring man^H5647^(H8802) is sweet^H4966, whether he eat^H398^(H8799) little^H4592 or much^H7235^(H8687): but the abundance^H7647 of the rich^H6223 will not suffer^H3240^(H8688) him to sleep^H3462^(H8800).

¹³ There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm.

KJVThere is^H3426 a sore^H2470^(H8802) evil^H7451 which I have seen^H7200^(H8804) under the sun^H8121, namely, riches^H6239 kept^H8104^(H8803) for the owners^H1167 thereof to their hurt^H7451.

¹⁴ Those riches perish by misfortune, and if he has fathered a son, there is nothing in his hand.

KJVBut those riches^H6239 perish^H6^(H8804) by evil^H7451 travail^H6045: and he begetteth^H3205^(H8689) a son^H1121, and there is nothing^H3972 in his hand^H3027.

¹⁵ As he came out of his mother’s womb, naked shall he go again as he came, and shall take nothing for his labor, which he may carry away in his hand.

KJVAs he came forth^H3318^(H8804) of his mother's^H517 womb^H990, naked^H6174 shall he return^H7725^(H8799) to go^H3212^(H8800) as he came^H935^(H8804), and shall take^H5375^(H8799) nothing^H3972 of his labour^H5999, which he may carry away^H3212^(H8686) in his hand^H3027.

¹⁶ This also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go. And what profit does he have who labors for the wind?

KJVAnd this^H2090 also is a sore^H2470^(H8802) evil^H7451, that in all points^H5980 as he came^H935^(H8804), so shall he go^H3212^(H8799): and what profit^H3504 hath he that hath laboured^H5998^(H8799) for the wind^H7307?

¹⁷ All his days he also eats in darkness, he is frustrated, and has sickness and wrath.

KJVAll his days^H3117 also he eateth^H398^(H8799) in darkness^H2822, and he hath much^H7235^(H8687) sorrow^H3707^(H8804) and wrath^H7110 with his sickness^H2483.

¹⁸ Behold, that which I have seen to be good and proper is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion.

KJVBehold that which I have seen^H7200^(H8804): it is good^H2896 and comely^H3303 for one to eat^H398^(H8800) and to drink^H8354^(H8800), and to enjoy^H7200^(H8800) the good^H2896 of all his labour^H5999 that he taketh^H5998^(H8799) under the sun^H8121 all^H4557 the days^H3117 of his life^H2416, which God^H430 giveth^H5414^(H8804) him: for it is his portion^H2506.

¹⁹ Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat of it, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God.

KJVEvery man^H120 also to whom God^H430 hath given^H5414^(H8804) riches^H6239 and wealth^H5233, and hath given him power^H7980^(H8689) to eat^H398^(H8800) thereof, and to take^H5375^(H8800) his portion^H2506, and to rejoice^H8055^(H8800) in his labour^H5999; this^H2090 is the gift^H4991 of God^H430.

²⁰ For he shall not often reflect on the days of his life, because God occupies him with the joy of his heart.

KJVFor he shall not much^H7235^(H8687) remember^H2142^(H8799) the days^H3117 of his life^H2416; because God^H430 answereth^H6031^(H8688) him in the joy^H8057 of his heart^H3820.

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.

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

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