Ecclesiastes 4:1

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

Again I looked, and I considered all the oppression taking place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; the power lay in the hands of their oppressors, and there was no comforter. 2So I admired the dead, who had already died, above the living, who are still alive. 3But better than both is he who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 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

• Againשׁוּבshûb · to return: againH7725
• and Iאֲנִי'ănîy · IH589
• consideredרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• the oppressionעָשׁוּקִים‛âshûq ‛âshûq · oppressionH6217
• ·אֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• taking placeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• underתַּחַתtachath · underneath: underH8478
• the sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁshemesh · sunH8121
• sawהִנֵּהhinnêh · beholdH2009
• the tearsדִּמְעָהdim‛âh · tearsH1832
• and they had noאַ֫יִן'ayin · nothingH369
• comforterנָחַםnâcham · to be sorry: comfortH5162
• the powerכֹּחַkôach kôach · strengthH3581
• in the handsיָדyâd · hand: themselvesH3027
• of their oppressorsעָשַׁק‛âshaq · to oppressH6231

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 4:1

• Job 6:29Reconsider; do not be unjust. Reconsider, for my righteousness is at stake.
• Malachi 3:18So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”
• Ecclesiastes 3:16Furthermore, I saw under the sun that in the place of judgment there is wickedness, and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.
• Ecclesiastes 5:8If you see the oppression of the poor and the denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be astonished at the matter; for one official is watched by a superior, and others higher still are over them.
• Ecclesiastes 7:7Surely extortion turns a wise man into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart.
• Exodus 1:13They worked the Israelites ruthlessly
• Exodus 2:23After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned and cried out under their burden of slavery, and their cry for deliverance from bondage ascended to God.
• Exodus 5:16No straw has been given to your servants, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Look, your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.”
• Deuteronomy 28:33A people you do not know will eat the produce of your land and of all your toil. All your days you will be oppressed and crushed.
• Judges 4:3Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, because Jabin had nine hundred chariots of iron, and he had harshly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years.
• Judges 10:7So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and Ammonites,
• Nehemiah 5:1About that time there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews.
• Job 24:7Without clothing, they spend the night naked; they have no covering against the cold.
• Psalms 10:9He lies in wait like a lion in a thicket; he lurks to seize the oppressed; he catches the lowly in his net.
• Proverbs 28:3A destitute leader who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain that leaves no food.
• Isaiah 5:7For the vineyard of the LORD of Hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the plant of His delight. He looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard a cry of distress.

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

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Instruction
• Oppression
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• Prison
• Threefold
• Hand
• Oppression
• Synagogue, the Great
• Tears

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