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

I saw again all the ways that people are cruel on the earth. I saw some people who were crying because cruel people were hurting them. There was nobody who could help them. Nobody could rescue them from those cruel people. 2I thought about people who are already dead. I decided that they are happier than the people who are still alive. 3But people who have not yet been born are even happier! They have not seen the evil things that happen on the earth.

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• So I returnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: againH7725
• and consideredרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• all the oppressionsעָשׁוּקִים‛âshûq ‛âshûq · oppressionH6217
• that are doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• under the sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁshemesh · sunH8121
• and behold the tearsדִּמְעָהdim‛âh · tearsH1832
• oppressedעָשַׁק‛âshaq · to oppressH6231
• and they had no comforterנָחַםnâcham · to be sorry: comfortH5162
• and on the sideיָדyâd · hand: themselvesH3027
• powerכֹּחַkôach kôach · strengthH3581

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 4:1

• Job 6:29Change what you are saying about me. Do not say that I am guilty. Think again, for I am truly a good person.
• Malachi 3:18Because of that, you will see again that I am kind to good people, but I punish wicked people. I show the difference between people who serve me well and those who do not.’
• Ecclesiastes 3:16I saw something else that happens on the earth. Judges should choose what is right, but instead they choose what is wicked. They should decide what is fair, but they do evil things.
• Ecclesiastes 5:8You may see a place where poor people are suffering. Powerful people may be hurting them. Do not be surprised if you see that. The judges may not be doing what is right and fair. That happens because the government's officers have to obey people who are more important than them.
• Ecclesiastes 7:7If a wise person cheats people, he becomes a fool. If you accept a bribe, you will no longer think properly.
• Exodus 1:13So the Egyptians made the Israelites work without any rest.
• Exodus 2:23After a long time had passed, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites were still slaves of the Egyptians. That made them very sad and they complained loudly. God heard them when they cried for help.
• Exodus 5:16Our masters no longer give us any straw. But they say “Make bricks!” Then they hit us. But it is your people who are doing wrong things, not us.’
• Deuteronomy 28:33Strangers will eat the food that you have worked hard to grow in your fields. People will be cruel to you for the rest of your lives.
• Judges 4:3He had 900 iron chariots for his army. He used his power to be cruel to the Israelites for 20 years. So they called out to the Lord for help.
• Judges 10:7The Lord became angry with the Israelites. He put them under the power of the Ammonites and the Philistines.
• Nehemiah 5:1Some men and their wives were upset, because of the things that some other Jews were doing.
• Job 24:7They have no clothes to wear during the cold nights. They sleep without anything to cover themselves.
• Psalms 10:9Quietly, he hides like a lion among some bushes. He waits there to catch a poor, weak person. Like a hunter, he catches poor people in his net.
• Proverbs 28:3A poor person who is cruel to helpless people is like a storm that destroys crops.
• Isaiah 5:7Israel's nation is like the vineyard of the Lord Almighty. Judah's people are his beautiful garden. But when the Lord looked there for justice, he found only murder! When he looked for people who were righteous, he saw that they were cruel.

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