American Standard Version
Ecclesiastes 4:1
1Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and, behold, the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.
Ecclesiastes 4:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.
- New International Version (NIV)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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then 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.
Context of Ecclesiastes 4:1
Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and, behold, the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter. 2Wherefore I praised the dead that have been long dead more than the living that are yet alive; 3yea, better than them both did I esteem him that hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 4Ecclesiastes 4:1 word by word
וְשַׁ֣בְתִּֽי אֲנִ֗י וָאֶרְאֶה֙ אֶת־כָּל־הָ֣עֲשֻׁקִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר נַעֲשִׂ֖ים תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ וְהִנֵּ֣ה׀ דִּמְעַ֣ת הָעֲשֻׁקִ֗ים וְאֵ֤ין לָהֶם֙ מְנַחֵ֔ם וּמִיַּ֤ד עֹֽשְׁקֵיהֶם֙ כֹּ֔חַ וְאֵ֥ין לָהֶ֖ם מְנַחֵֽם׃Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 4:1
- Job 6:29Return, I pray you, let there be no injustice; Yea, return again, my cause is righteous.
- Malachi 3:18Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.
- Ecclesiastes 3:16And 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.
- Ecclesiastes 5:8If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a province, marvel not at the matter: for one higher than the high regardeth; and there are higher than they.
- Ecclesiastes 7:7Surely extortion maketh the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroyeth the understanding.
- Exodus 1:13And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor:
- Exodus 2:23And it came to pass in the course of those many days, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.
- Exodus 5:16There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault is in thine own people.
- Deuteronomy 28:33The fruit of thy ground, and all thy labors, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway;
- Judges 4:3And the children of Israel cried unto Jehovah: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.
- Judges 10:7And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the children of Ammon.
- Nehemiah 5:1Then there arose a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.
- Job 24:7They lie all night naked without clothing, And have no covering in the cold.
- Psalms 10:9He lurketh in secret as a lion in his covert; He lieth in wait to catch the poor: He doth catch the poor, when he draweth him in his net.
- Proverbs 28:3A needy man that oppresseth the poor Islikea sweeping rain which leaveth no food.
- Isaiah 5:7For the vineyard of Jehovah of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for justice, but, behold, oppression; for righteousness, but, behold, a cry.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 4:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Considered all the oppressions - עשקים ashukim signifies any kind of injury which a man can receive in his person, his property, or his good fame. On the side of their oppressors there was power - And, therefore, neither protection nor comfort for the oppressed.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1So I returned, and considered - Rather, And I returned and saw. He turns to look upon other phenomena, and to test his previous conclusion by them. Oppressed - See the introduction to Ecclesiastes.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Miseries from oppression. (Eccl. 4:1-3) troubles from envy. (Eccl. 4:4-6) The folly of covetousness. (Eccl. 4:7,8) The advantages of mutual assistance. (Eccl. 4:9-12) the changes of royalty. (Eccl. 4:13-16) Verses 1-3 It grieved Solomon to see might prevail against right. Wherever we turn, we see melancholy proofs of the wickedness and misery of mankind, who try to create trouble to themselves and to each other. Being thus hardly used, men are tempted to…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1all the oppression: Oppression is widespread in society. It occurs in families, religions, workplaces, governments, and from foreign powers.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-16Ec 4:1-16. 1. returned--namely, to the thought set forth (Ec 3:16; Job 35:9). power--Maurer, not so well, "violence." no comforter--twice said to express continued suffering without any to give comfort (Is 53:7).Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 4:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries