Welcome to our website where we explore the Bible! Pleasure to meet you here!
May your journey into the world of the Holy Scriptures be engaging and inspiring!
You can change reading language: uk ru
Parallel
New International Version
Darby Bible Translation
Oppression, Toil, Friendlessness
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.
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.
The Evils of Oppression
And I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors was power, and they had no comforter.
And I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors was power, and they had no comforter.
And I declared that the dead,
who had already died,
are happier than the living,
who are still alive.
who had already died,
are happier than the living,
who are still alive.
Then I praised the dead who are already dead more than the living who are yet alive;
But better than both
is the one who has never been born,
who has not seen the evil
that is done under the sun.
is the one who has never been born,
who has not seen the evil
that is done under the sun.
and more fortunate than both is he who hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
And I saw all labour, and all success of work, that it is man's jealousy of his neighbour. This also is vanity and pursuit of the wind.
Fools fold their hands
and ruin themselves.
and ruin themselves.
The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
Better one handful with tranquillity
than two handfuls with toil
and chasing after the wind.
than two handfuls with toil
and chasing after the wind.
Better is a handful with quietness, than both hands full with labour and pursuit of the wind.
There was a man all alone;
he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
“For whom am I toiling,” he asked,
“and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?”
This too is meaningless —
a miserable business!
he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
“For whom am I toiling,” he asked,
“and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?”
This too is meaningless —
a miserable business!
There is one [alone] and without a second; also he hath neither son nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour, neither is his eye satisfied with riches, and [he saith not], For whom then am I labouring, and depriving my soul of good? This also is vanity and a grievous occupation.
Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
because they have a good return for their labor:
Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
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.
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, and who hath not another to lift him up!
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
But how can one keep warm alone?
Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one alone be warm?
Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
And if a [man] overpower the one, the two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Advancement Is Meaningless
Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning.
Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning.
The Futility of Power
Better is a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth no more how to be admonished.
Better is a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth no more how to be admonished.
The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom.
For out of the prison-house he came forth to reign, although he was born poor in his kingdom.
I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor.
I saw all the living that walk under the sun, with the child, the second, that should stand up in his stead.
There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
[There is] no end of all the people, of all that stood before them; those however that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after the wind.