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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>Ecclesiastes 4 ISV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/ecclesiastes/4.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/ecclesiastes/4-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">ISV</a> > Ecclesiastes 4</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../ecclesiastes/3.htm" title="Ecclesiastes 3">◄</a> Ecclesiastes 4 <a href="../ecclesiastes/5.htm" title="Ecclesiastes 5">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">International Standard Version</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/isv/esv/ecclesiastes/4.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="heading">On the Abuse of Authority</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/4-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>Next I turned to consider all kinds of oppression that exists on earth.</p> <p class="poetry1 margintop">Look at the tears of the oppressed—</p> <p class="poetry2">there is no one to comfort them.</p> <p class="poetry2">Power is on the side of their oppressors;</p> <p class="poetry2 marginbot">so they have no comforters.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/4-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>So I commended the dead who had already died as being happier than the living who are still alive. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/4-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>Better than both of them is someone who has not yet been born,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="4:3 The Heb. lacks born">a</a></span> because he hasn’t experienced evil on earth. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/4-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>Then I examined all sorts of work, including all kinds of excellent achievements that create envy in others.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="4:4 Lit. envy of a man by his neighbor">b</a></span> This also is pointless and chasing after the wind. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/4-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>The fool crosses his arms<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="4:5 Lit. folds his hands">c</a></span> and starves himself.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="4:5 Lit. eats his own flesh ">d</a></span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/4-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>It’s better to have one handful of tranquility than to have two handfuls of trouble and to chase after the wind.</p> <p class="heading">On Aloneness and Companionship</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/4-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>Then I turned to re-examine something else that is pointless on earth: <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/4-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>Consider someone who is alone, having neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his work, and he is<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="4:8 Lit. and his eyes are">e</a></span> never satisfied with wealth. “So for whom do I work,” he asks,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="4:8 The Heb. lacks he asks">f</a></span> “and deprive myself of pleasure?” This, too, is pointless and a terrible tragedy.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/4-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/4-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>If they stumble, the first will lift up his friend—but woe to anyone who is alone when he falls and there is no one to help him get up. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/4-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>Again, if two lie close together, they will keep warm, but how can only one stay warm? <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/4-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>If someone attacks one of them, the two of them together will resist. Furthermore, the tri-braided cord is not soon broken.</p> <p class="heading">There’s No Fool Like an Old Fool</p><p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/4-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>A poor but wise youth is better</p> <p class="poetry2">than an old but foolish king</p> <p class="poetry2">who will no longer accept correction.</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/4-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>The former can come out of prison to reign,</p> <p class="poetry2 marginbot">while the latter, even if born to<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="4:14 Lit. to his">g</a></span> kingship, may become poor.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/4-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>I observed everyone who lives and walks on earth, along with the youth<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="4:15 Lit. second child">h</a></span> who will take the king’s<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="4:15 Lit. take his">i</a></span> place. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/4-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>There was no end to all of his subjects<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="4:16 Lit. of the people">j</a></span> or to all of the people who had come before them. But those who come along afterward will not be happy with him. This is also pointless and a chasing after wind.</p><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><A name="ftn"></a><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="fn1"><span class="fnb">a</span> 4:3 The Heb. lacks <i>born</i><br /><span class="fnb">b</span> 4:4 Lit. <i>envy of a man by his neighbor</i><br /><span class="fnb">c</span> 4:5 Lit. <i>folds his hands</i><br /><span class="fnb">d</span> 4:5 Lit. <i>eats his own flesh</i><br /><span class="fnb">e</span> 4:8 Lit. <i>and his eyes are</i><br /><span class="fnb">f</span> 4:8 The Heb. lacks <i>he asks</i><br /><span class="fnb">g</span> 4:14 Lit. <i>to his</i><br /><span class="fnb">h</span> 4:15 Lit. <i>second child</i><br /><span class="fnb">i</span> 4:15 Lit. <i>take his</i><br /><span class="fnb">j</span> 4:16 Lit. <i>of the people</i><br /></span><br><br><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><div align="center"><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1<br />Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation<br />ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/">Bible Hub</a></div></div></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="../ecclesiastes/3.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Ecclesiastes 3"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Ecclesiastes 3" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../ecclesiastes/5.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Ecclesiastes 5"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Ecclesiastes 5" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="rightbox"><div class="padright"><div id="pic"><iframe width="100%" height="860" scrolling="no" src="//biblescan.com/mpc/ecclesiastes/4-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></div></div><div id="rightbox4"><div class="padright2"><div id="spons1"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tr><td class="sp1"><iframe width="122" height="860" scrolling="no" src="../sidemenu.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="bot"><div align="center" style="background-color:#F2FAFF"><br /><br /><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>  <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="6710025936" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></td></tr></table><br /><br /><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>  <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="6710025936" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></td></tr></table></div><br /><br /> </div><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="//biblehu.com/botmenubhnm2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe><div align="center"><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span></div></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>