Ecclesiastes 4
King James Version with ApocryphaTranslation
King James Version with Apocrypha
Septuagint (Brenton Greek text, with Apocrypha)
1So I returned, and considered 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.
1Καὶ ἐπέστρεψα ἐγὼ, καὶ εἶδον συμπάσας τὰς συκοφαντίας τὰς γενομένας ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον· καὶ ἰδοὺ δάκρυον τῶν συκοφαντουμένων, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῖς παρακαλῶν, καὶ ἀπὸ χειρὸς συκοφαντούντων αὐτοῖς ἰσχὺς, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῖς παρακαλῶν.
2Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.
2Καὶ ἐπῄνεσα ἐγὼ σύμπαντας τοὺς τεθνηκότας τοὺς ἤδη ἀποθανόντας ὑπὲρ τοὺς ζῶντας, ὅσοι αὐτοὶ ζῶσιν ἕως τοῦ νῦν.
3Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
3Καὶ ἀγαθὸς ὑπὲρ τοὺς δύο τούτους ὅστις οὔπω ἐγένετο, ὃς οὐκ εἶδε σὺν πᾶν τὸ ποίημα τὸ πονηρὸν τὸ πεποιημένον ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον.
4¶ Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
4Καὶ εἶδον ἐγὼ σύμπαντα τὸν μόχθον, καὶ σύμπασαν ἀνδρίαν τοῦ ποιήματος, ὅτι αὐτὸ ζῆλος ἀνδρὸς ἀπὸ τοῦ ἑταίρου αὐτοῦ· καί γε τοῦτο ματαιότης καὶ προαίρεσις πνεύματος.
5The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
5Ὁ ἄφρων περιέβαλε τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔφαγε τὰς σάρκας αὐτοῦ.
6Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.
6Ἀγαθὸν πλήρωμα δρακὸς ἀναπαύσεως ὑπὲρ πληρώματα δύο δρακῶν μόχθου καὶ προαιρέσεως πνεύματος.
7¶ Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.
7Καὶ ἐπέστρεψα ἐγὼ, καὶ εἶδον ματαιότητα ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον.
8There is one alone , and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he , For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.
8Ἔστιν εἷς, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι δεύτερος· καί γε υἱὸς καί γε ἀδελφὸς οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτῷ· καὶ οὐκ ἔστι περασμὸς τῷ παντὶ μόχθῳ αὐτοῦ· καί γε ὀφθαλμὸς αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐμπίμπλαται πλούτου· καὶ τίνι ἐγὼ μοχθῶ, καὶ στερίσκω τὴν ψυχήν μου ἀπὸ ἀγαθωσύνης; καί γε τοῦτο ματαιότης καὶ περισπασμὸς πονηρός ἐστιν.
9¶ Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
9Ἀγαθοὶ οἱ δύο ὑπὲρ τὸν ἕνα, οἷς ἐστὶν αὐτοῖς μισθὸς ἀγαθὸς ἐν μόχθῳ αὐτῶν·
10For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
10Ὅτι ἐὰν πέσωσιν, ὁ εἷς ἐγερεῖ τὸν μέτοχον αὐτοῦ· καὶ οὐαὶ αὐτῷ τῷ ἑνὶ, ὅταν πέσῃ καὶ μὴ ᾖ δεύτερος ἐγεῖραι αὐτόν.
11Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone ?
11Καί γε ἐὰν κοιμηθῶσι δύο, καὶ θέρμη αὐτοῖς, καὶ ὁ εἷς πῶς θερμανθῇ;
12And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
12Καὶ ἐὰν ἐπικραταιωθῇ ὁ εἷς, οἱ δύο στήσονται κατέναντι αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὸ σπαρτίον τὸ ἔντριτον οὐ ταχέως ἀποῤῥαγήσεται.
13¶ Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.
13Ἀγαθὸς παῖς πένης καὶ σοφὸς ὑπὲρ βασιλέα πρεσβύτερον καὶ ἄφρονα, ὃς οὐκ ἔγνω τοῦ προσέχειν ἔτι·
14For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor.
14Ὅτι ἐξ οἴκου τῶν δεσμίων ἐξελεύσεται τοῦ βασιλεῦσαι, ὅτι καί γε ἐν βασιλείᾳ αὐτοῦ ἐγενήθη πένης.
15I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead.
15Εἶδον σύμπαντας τοὺς ζῶντας τοὺς περιπατοῦντας ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον μετὰ τοῦ νεανίσκου τοῦ δευτέρου, ὃς στήσεται ἀντʼ αὐτοῦ.
16There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
16Οὐκ ἔστι περασμὸς τῷ παντὶ λαῷ, τοῖς πᾶσιν οἳ ἐγένοντο ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν· καί γε οἱ ἔσχατοι οὐκ εὐφρανθήσονται ἐπʼ αὐτῷ· ὅτι καί γε τοῦτο ματαιότης καὶ προαίρεσις πνεύματος.
no verse 17 in this text
17Φύλαξον τὸν πόδα σου, ἐν ᾧ ἐὰν πορεύῃ εἰς οἶκον τοῦ Θεοῦ· καὶ ἐγγὺς τοῦ ἀκούειν, ὑπὲρ δόμα τῶν ἀφρόνων θυσία σου, ὅτι οὐκ εἰσὶν εἰδότες τοῦ ποιῆσαι κακόν.
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