Translation comparison

Ecclesiastes 4

16 aligned verses; 16 with wording or punctuation differences .

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Verse BSB Berean Standard Bible WEB World English Bible
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.
Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun : and, behold, the tears of those who were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.
So I admired the dead , who had already died, above the living , who are still alive.
Therefore I praised the dead who have been long dead more than the living who are yet alive.
But better than both is he who has not yet existed , who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.
Yes, better than them both is him who has not yet been , who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
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.
Then I saw all the labor and achievement that is the envy of a man's neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh .
The fool folds his hands together and ruins himself .
Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and pursuit of the wind.
Better is a handful , with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and chasing after wind.
Again, I saw futility under the sun.
Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.
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 .
There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth . For whom then, do I labor, and deprive my soul of enjoyment? This also is vanity, yes, it is a miserable business .
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.
For if one falls down , his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up !
For if they fall , the one will lift up his fellow ; but woe to him who is alone when he falls , and doesn't have another to lift him up .
Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm ; but how can one keep warm alone?
Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth ; but how can one keep warm alone?
And though one may be overpowered , two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
If a man prevails against one who is alone , two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take a warning .
Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who doesn't know how to receive admonition any more .
For the youth has come from the prison to the kingship , though he was born poor in his own kingdom .
For out of prison he came forth to be king; yes , even in his kingdom he was born poor.
I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed this second one , the youth who succeeded the king .
I saw all the living who walk under the sun, that they were with the youth , the other, who succeeded him .
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.
There was no end of all the people , even of all them over whom he was-- yet those who come after shall not rejoice in him . Surely this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible and World English Bible. Public domain; source text distributed by BSB Publishing, LLC.; Public domain; “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org..