Translation comparison

Ecclesiastes 4

16 aligned verses; 16 with wording or punctuation differences .

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Verse ASV American Standard Version BSB Berean Standard Bible
Then I returned and saw 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.
Again I looked, and I considered all the oppression taking place under the sun . I saw the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; the power lay in the hands of their oppressors , and there was no comforter.
Wherefore I praised the dead that have been long dead more than the living that are yet alive ;
So I admired the dead , who had already died, above the living , who are still alive .
yea, better than them both `did I esteem' him that hath not yet been , who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
But better than both is he who has not yet existed , who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.
Then I saw all labor and every skilful work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
I saw that all labor and success spring from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.
Better is a handful , with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and striving after wind.
Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and pursuit of the wind.
Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.
Again, I saw futility under the sun.
There is one that is alone, and he hath not a second; yea, he hath neither son nor brother ; yet is there no end of all his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with riches. For whom then, `saith he', do I labor, and deprive my soul of good ? This also is vanity, yea, it is a sore travail .
There is a man all alone, without even a son or brother . And though there is no end to his labor, his eyes are still not content with his wealth: For whom do I toil and bereave my soul of enjoyment ? This too is futile— a miserable task .
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.
For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow ; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, and hath not another to lift him up .
For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up !
Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth ; but how can one be warm ` alone ' ?
Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm ; but how can one keep warm alone?
And if a man prevail against him that is alone , two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
And though one may be overpowered , two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king , who knoweth not how to receive admonition any more .
Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take a warning .
For out of prison he came forth to be king; yea , even in his kingdom he was born poor.
For the youth has come from the prison to the kingship , though he was born poor in his own kingdom .
I saw all the living that walk under the sun, that they were with the youth , the second, that stood up in his stead .
I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed this second one , the youth who succeeded the king .
There was no end of all the people , even of all them over whom he was: yet they that come after shall not rejoice in him . Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.
There is no limit to all the people who were before them . Yet the successor will not be celebrated by those who come even later . This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

Scripture text: American Standard Version and Berean Standard Bible. Public domain.; Public domain; source text distributed by BSB Publishing, LLC..