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  • Ecclesiastes 4
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Ecclesiastes Outline

      • Oppression worse than death (1-3)

      • A balanced view of work (4-6)

      • The value of a friend (7-12)

        • Two are better than one (9)

      • A ruler’s life can be futile (13-16)

Ecclesiastes 4:1

Marginal References

  • +Ps 69:20; 142:4

Indexes

  • Research Guide

    Awake!,

    10/8/1990, p. 22

  • Publications Index

    g90 10/8 22;

    w80 3/1 27; w77 186-187; w74 616-617; hu 13-14; w57 695; w31 92, 299

Ecclesiastes 4:2

Marginal References

  • +Job 3:17; Ec 2:17

Indexes

  • Publications Index

    w77 187; w74 616-617; w57 695; w31 92

Ecclesiastes 4:3

Marginal References

  • +Jer 20:18
  • +Ec 1:14

Indexes

  • Publications Index

    w77 187; w57 695

Ecclesiastes 4:4

Footnotes

  • *

    Or “hard work.”

Marginal References

  • +Ga 5:26

Indexes

  • Research Guide

    Insight, Volume 1, p. 1261

    The Watchtower,

    11/1/2006, p. 14

    11/1/1999, p. 32

    2/15/1997, pp. 15-16

    9/15/1987, p. 24

    Satisfying Life, p. 8

    Awake!,

    9/8/1994, p. 15

  • Publications Index

    it-1 1261; w06 11/1 14; la 8; w99 11/1 32; w97 2/15 15-16; g94 9/8 15; w87 9/15 24;

    g84 3/8 14; g84 10/8 12-13; g83 1/8 19; w82 8/1 15-16; w77 186; w77 324; w76 740-741; w73 506; ad 874; g65 4/8 4; w64 708; w55 469

Ecclesiastes 4:5

Footnotes

  • *

    Lit., “and is eating his own flesh.”

Marginal References

  • +Pr 6:10, 11; 20:4

Indexes

  • Research Guide

    The Watchtower,

    11/1/1999, p. 32

  • Publications Index

    w99 11/1 32;

    g79 8/22 8; w77 186

Ecclesiastes 4:6

Marginal References

  • +Ps 37:16; Pr 15:16; 16:8; 17:1

Indexes

  • Research Guide

    Awake!,

    No. 1 2020 p. 10

    2/2014, p. 8

    Insight, Volume 1, p. 1030

    The Watchtower,

    11/1/1999, p. 32

    9/15/1987, p. 24

  • Publications Index

    g20.1 10; it-1 1030; g 2/14 8; w99 11/1 32; w87 9/15 24;

    g83 9/8 7-8; w79 3/1 7; g79 8/22 8; w77 186; w76 741; ad 710

Ecclesiastes 4:7

Indexes

  • Publications Index

    w80 3/1 26-27

Ecclesiastes 4:8

Footnotes

  • *

    Or “my soul.”

Marginal References

  • +Pr 27:20; Ec 5:10
  • +Ps 39:6; Lu 12:18-20
  • +Ec 2:22, 23

Indexes

  • Publications Index

    w80 3/1 26-27; w77 220; w61 504

Ecclesiastes 4:9

Footnotes

  • *

    Or “greater benefit.”

Marginal References

  • +Ge 2:18; Pr 27:17

Indexes

  • Research Guide

    Enjoy Life Forever!, lesson 42

    The Watchtower,

    9/15/1987, p. 24

  • Publications Index

    lff lesson 42; w87 9/15 24;

    w80 3/1 26-27; w80 3/15 13-15; fl 26, 110; w77 220; g72 2/22 5; w57 699; w56 630; w47 357

Ecclesiastes 4:10

Indexes

  • Publications Index

    w80 3/1 26-27; w80 3/15 13; fl 26; w77 220; w57 699; w56 630; w47 357

Ecclesiastes 4:11

Indexes

  • Publications Index

    w80 3/1 26-27; w80 3/15 13; w77 220; w57 699; w56 630; w47 357

Ecclesiastes 4:12

Footnotes

  • *

    Or “easily.”

Indexes

  • Research Guide

    Insight, Volume 1, p. 507

    Remain in God’s Love, pp. 133-134

    “God’s Love,” pp. 111-112

    The Watchtower,

    10/15/2009, p. 18

    12/15/2008, p. 30

  • Publications Index

    it-1 507; lvs 133-134; lv 111-112; w09 10/15 18; w08 12/15 30;

    w81 7/1 13-14; w80 3/1 26-27; w80 3/15 13; w77 220; w72 36; g72 2/22 6; ad 377; w57 699; w56 630; w47 358

Ecclesiastes 4:13

Marginal References

  • +Pr 19:1; 28:6, 16
  • +1Ki 22:8; 2Ch 25:15, 16

Indexes

  • Publications Index

    w77 220-221; w52 40

Ecclesiastes 4:14

Footnotes

  • *

    Perhaps referring to the wise child.

Marginal References

  • +Ge 41:14, 40
  • +2Sa 7:8; Job 5:11

Indexes

  • Publications Index

    w77 220-221

Ecclesiastes 4:15

Indexes

  • Research Guide

    The Watchtower,

    11/1/2006, p. 14

  • Publications Index

    w06 11/1 14;

    w77 221

Ecclesiastes 4:16

Marginal References

  • +2Sa 20:1

Indexes

  • Research Guide

    The Watchtower,

    11/1/2006, p. 14

  • Publications Index

    w06 11/1 14;

    w77 221

Parallel Translations

Click a verse number to display parallel Bible verses.

General

Eccl. 4:1Ps 69:20; 142:4
Eccl. 4:2Job 3:17; Ec 2:17
Eccl. 4:3Jer 20:18
Eccl. 4:3Ec 1:14
Eccl. 4:4Ga 5:26
Eccl. 4:5Pr 6:10, 11; 20:4
Eccl. 4:6Ps 37:16; Pr 15:16; 16:8; 17:1
Eccl. 4:8Pr 27:20; Ec 5:10
Eccl. 4:8Ps 39:6; Lu 12:18-20
Eccl. 4:8Ec 2:22, 23
Eccl. 4:9Ge 2:18; Pr 27:17
Eccl. 4:13Pr 19:1; 28:6, 16
Eccl. 4:131Ki 22:8; 2Ch 25:15, 16
Eccl. 4:14Ge 41:14, 40
Eccl. 4:142Sa 7:8; Job 5:11
Eccl. 4:162Sa 20:1
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New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures
Ecclesiastes 4:1-16

Ecclesiastes

4 Again I turned my attention to all the acts of oppression that go on under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and there was no one to comfort them.+ And their oppressors had the power, and there was no one to comfort them. 2 And I congratulated the dead who had already died rather than the living who were still alive.+ 3 And better off than both of them is the one who has not yet been born,+ who has not seen the distressing deeds that are done under the sun.+

4 And I have seen how much effort* and skillful work spring from rivalry between people;+ this too is futility, a chasing after the wind.

5 The stupid one folds his hands while his flesh wastes away.*+

6 Better is a handful of rest than two handfuls of hard work and chasing after the wind.+

7 I turned my attention to another example of futility under the sun: 8 There is a man who is all alone, without any companion; he has no son or brother, but there is no end to all his hard work. His eyes are never satisfied with riches.+ But does he ask himself, ‘For whom am I working hard and depriving myself* of good things’?+ This too is futility and a miserable occupation.+

9 Two are better than one+ because they have a good reward* for their hard work. 10 For if one of them falls, the other can help his partner up. But what will happen to the one who falls with no one to help him up?

11 Moreover, if two lie down together, they will stay warm, but how can just one keep warm? 12 And someone may overpower one alone, but two together can take a stand against him. And a threefold cord cannot quickly* be torn apart.

13 Better is a poor but wise child than an old but stupid king,+ who no longer has enough sense to heed a warning.+ 14 For he* went out from prison to become king,+ although in that one’s kingship he was born poor.+ 15 I considered all those alive who walk about under the sun, as well as how it goes with the young successor who stands up in the other’s place. 16 Although there is no end to all his supporters, those who come later will not be happy with him.+ This too is futility, a chasing after the wind.

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