God’s Word Translation
Ecclesiastes 4:1
1Next, I turned to look at all the acts of oppression that make people suffer under the sun. Look at the tears of those who suffer! No one can comfort them. Their oppressors have ⌞all⌟ the power. No one can comfort those who suffer.
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
Next, I turned to look at all the acts of oppression that make people suffer under the sun. Look at the tears of those who suffer! No one can comfort them. Their oppressors have ⌞all⌟ the power. No one can comfort those who suffer. 2I congratulate the dead, who have already died, rather than the living, who still have to carry on. 3But the person who hasn’t been born yet is better off than both of them. He hasn’t seen the evil 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
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 change your mind. Don’t permit any injustice. Change your mind because I am still right about this!
- Malachi 3:18Then you will again see the difference between righteous people and wicked people, between the one who serves God and the one who doesn’t serve him.
- Ecclesiastes 3:16I saw something else under the sun: There is wickedness where justice should be found. There is wickedness where righteousness should be found.
- Ecclesiastes 5:8Don’t be surprised if you see poor people being oppressed, denied justice, or denied their rights in any district. One authority is watching over another, and they both have authorities watching over them.
- Ecclesiastes 7:7Oppression can turn a wise person into a fool, and a bribe can corrupt the mind.
- Exodus 1:13So they forced the Israelites to work hard as slaves.
- Exodus 2:23After a long time passed, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites still groaned because they were slaves. So they cried out, and their cries for help went up to God.
- Exodus 5:16We’re given no straw, and yet we’re told to make bricks. We’re being beaten, but your men are at fault.”
- Deuteronomy 28:33People you never knew will eat what your land and your hard work have produced. As long as you live, you will know nothing but oppression and abuse.
- Judges 4:3The people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help. King Jabin had 900 chariots made of iron and had cruelly oppressed Israel for 20 years.
- Judges 10:7The Lord became angry with the people of Israel. So he used the Philistines and Ammonites to defeat them.
- Nehemiah 5:1Then some of the people, the men and their wives, complained publicly about their Jewish relatives.
- Job 24:7All night they lie naked without a covering from the cold.
- Psalms 10:9He lies in his hiding place like a lion in his den. He hides there to catch oppressed people. He catches oppressed people when he draws them into his net.
- Proverbs 28:3A poor person who oppresses poorer people is like a driving rain that leaves no food.
- Isaiah 5:7The vineyard of the Lord of Armies is the nation of Israel, and the people of Judah are the garden of his delight. He hoped for justice but saw only slaughter, for righteousness but heard only cries 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
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries