Ecclesiastes 4:10

Ecclesiastes 4:10 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
• New International Version (NIV)If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!
• New King James Version (NKJV)For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up.

Context of Ecclesiastes 4:10

8There are people who live alone. They have no friends, children or brothers. They work hard every day. They want to get more riches for themselves. But they are never happy with the things that they have. They should ask themselves, ‘Why am I working so hard? Am I helping anybody? I am not doing things that make me happy.’ Their work has no purpose. It only brings trouble to their lives. 9Two people who work together are better than one person who works alone. They can help each other to work well. If one of them falls down, his friend can help him to get up. But it is terrible if you fall down when you are alone. There is nobody who can help you to stand up again. 11Also, if two people sleep together, they help each other to be warm. But if you sleep alone, it is difficult to be warm. 12If you are alone, one person might attack you and hurt you. But two people together can help each other to win the fight. If you use three strings to make a rope, it is difficult for anyone to break it.

Ecclesiastes 4:10 word by word

כִּ֣י אִם־יִפֹּ֔לוּ הָאֶחָ֖ד יָקִ֣ים אֶת־חֲבֵר֑וֹ וְאִ֣יל֗וֹ הָֽאֶחָד֙ שֶׁיִּפּ֔וֹל וְאֵ֥ין שֵׁנִ֖י לַהֲקִימֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• For if they fallנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
• the oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• will lift upקוּםqûm · to arise: raiseH6965
• his fellowחָבֵרchâbêr · companionH2270
• but woeאִי'îy · woe!H337
• not anotherשֵׁנִיshênîy · secondH8145

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 4:10

• Exodus 32:2So Aaron said to them, ‘Take the gold rings from the ears of your wives, your sons and your daughters. Then bring the rings to me.’
• Deuteronomy 9:19I prayed, because the Lord had said that he would destroy you. He was so angry with you that I was very afraid. But the Lord listened to me this time too.
• 1 Samuel 23:16Saul's son, Jonathan, went to visit David at Horesh. He told David to be brave, because God would keep him safe.
• 2 Samuel 11:27The time for Uriah's wife to weep for her husband came to an end. Then David sent some of his men to bring her to his palace. She became David's wife. Later, she gave birth to a son. But the Lord was not pleased with David because of the bad things that David had done.
• 2 Samuel 12:7Then Nathan said to David, ‘You are that man! This is what the Lord, Israel's God, says: “I chose you as king to rule over Israel. I saved you from Saul's power.
• Job 4:3Listen! You have taught many people. You have helped weak people to be strong.
• Isaiah 35:3If your hands feel weak, now be strong! If your knees are shaking, now be brave!
• Luke 22:31Jesus then said, ‘Simon, Simon, be careful to listen to me! Satan has asked to have authority over you all. He will shake you as a farmer shakes seeds.
• Galatians 2:11But later, when Peter came to Antioch, I spoke against him. I told him clearly that he had done something wrong.
• Galatians 6:1My friends, if you see that someone among you is doing a wrong thing, you must warn that person. Those of you who have help from God's Spirit should tell that person how to live in a good way. But you must be patient and respect him. Be very careful yourselves, so that you do not also want to do wrong things.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:18Because this message is true, tell it to each other. Help one another to be strong, not sad.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:11Because of that, you should help each other to become stronger as believers. I know that you are already doing that.
• Genesis 4:8One day Cain said to his brother Abel, ‘We should go out to the fields.’ While they were in the fields, Cain attacked his brother Abel. He killed Abel.
• 2 Samuel 14:6I had two sons. One day, they were fighting in the fields. There was nobody near to stop them. One son knocked down the other son and killed him.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 4:10

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7-12Verses 7-12 The spectacle of a prosperous man whose condition is rendered vain by his brotherless, childless isolation. Ecclesiastes 4:8 A second - Any one associated or connected with him. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Compare a saying from the Talmud: “A man without companions is like the left hand without the right.”Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-12Verses 9-12 Surely he has more satisfaction in life, who labours hard to maintain those he loves, than the miser has in his toil. In all things union tends to success and safety, but above all, the union of Christians. They assist each other by encouragement, or friendly reproof. They warm each other's hearts while they converse together of the love of Christ, or join in singing his praises. Then let us improve our opportunities of Christian fellowship…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9-12Two are better than one: The solitary man (Ecclesiastes 4:8) reminds us of the benefits of partnerships in business and personal life.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. if they fall--if the one or other fall, as may happen to both, namely, into any distress of body, mind, or soul.Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 4:10

• Fellowship
• Friendship
• Union

In the dictionaries

• Fall, the
• Prison
• Threefold
• Fellow
• Lift
• Synagogue, the Great

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