English Standard Version
Ecclesiastes 4:1
1Again 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Again, I observed all the oppression that takes place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, with no one to comfort them. The oppressors have great power, and their victims are helpless.
Context of Ecclesiastes 4:1
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. 2And I thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive. 3But better than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are 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
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 6:29Please turn; let no injustice be done. Turn now; my vindication is at stake.
- Malachi 3:18Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.
- Ecclesiastes 3:16Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness.
- Ecclesiastes 5:8If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them.
- Ecclesiastes 7:7Surely oppression drives the wise into madness, and a bribe corrupts the heart.
- Exodus 1:13So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves
- Exodus 2:23During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God.
- Exodus 5:16No straw is given to your servants, yet they say to us, 'Make bricks!' And behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people."
- Deuteronomy 28:33A nation that you have not known shall eat up the fruit of your ground and of all your labors, and you shall be only oppressed and crushed continually,
- Judges 4:3Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help, for he had 900 chariots of iron and he oppressed the people of Israel cruelly for twenty years.
- Judges 10:7So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the Ammonites,
- Nehemiah 5:1Now there arose a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers.
- Job 24:7They lie all night naked, without clothing, and have no covering in the cold.
- Psalms 10:9he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket; he lurks that he may seize the poor; he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net.
- Proverbs 28:3A poor man who oppresses the poor is a beating 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 his pleasant planting; and he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, an outcry!
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
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Commentaries