[Ecc 4:1-16 KJV] 1 So 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. 2 Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive. 3 Yea, better [is he] than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun. 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. 5 The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh. 6 Better [is] an handful [with] quietness, than both the hands full [with] travail and vexation of spirit. 7 Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun. 8 There 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. 9 Two [are] better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10 For 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. 11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm [alone]? 12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. 13 Better [is] a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished. 14 For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also [he that is] born in his kingdom becometh poor. 15 I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead. 16 [There 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.
[Ecc 5:1-20 KJV] 1 Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. 2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter [any] thing before God: for God [is] in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. 3 For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice [is known] by multitude of words. 4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for [he hath] no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. 5 Better [is it] that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. 6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it [was] an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands? 7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words [there are] also [divers] vanities: but fear thou God. 8 If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for [he that is] higher than the highest regardeth; and [there be] higher than they. 9 Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king [himself] is served by the field. 10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this [is] also vanity. 11 When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good [is there] to the owners thereof, saving the beholding [of them] with their eyes? 12 The sleep of a labouring man [is] sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. 13 There is a sore evil [which] I have seen under the sun, [namely], riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. 14 But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and [there is] nothing in his hand. 15 As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand. 16 And this also [is] a sore evil, [that] in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind? 17 All his days also he eateth in darkness, and [he hath] much sorrow and wrath with his sickness. 18 Behold [that] which I have seen: [it is] good and comely [for one] to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it [is] his portion. 19 Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this [is] the gift of God. 20 For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth [him] in the joy of his heart.
[Ecc 6:1-12 KJV] 1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it [is] common among men: 2 A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this [is] vanity, and it [is] an evil disease. 3 If a man beget an hundred [children], and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also [that] he have no burial; I say, [that] an untimely birth [is] better than he. 4 For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness. 5 Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known [any thing]: this hath more rest than the other. 6 Yea, though he live a thousand years twice [told], yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place? 7 All the labour of man [is] for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled. 8 For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living? 9 Better [is] the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this [is] also vanity and vexation of spirit. 10 That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it [is] man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he. 11 Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what [is] man the better? 12 For who knoweth what [is] good for man in [this] life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?
Ecc 4:1 - So I returned,H7725 and consideredH7200 all the oppressionsH6217 that are doneH6213 under the sun:H8121 and behold the tearsH1832 of such as were oppressed,H6231 and they had no comforter;H5162 and on the sideH3027 of their oppressorsH6231there was power;H3581 but they had no comforter.H5162
Ecc 4:8 - There isH3426 oneH259alone, and there is not a second;H8145 yea, he hath neither childH1121 nor brother:H251 yet is there no endH7093 of all his labour;H5999 neither is his eyeH5869 satisfiedH7646 with riches;H6239 neither saith he, For whom do I labour,H6001 and bereaveH2637 my soulH5315 of good?H2896 This is also vanity,H1892 yea, it is a soreH7451 travail.H6045
Ecc 4:16 - There is no endH7093 of all the people,H5971even of all that have been beforeH6440 them: they also that come afterH314 shall not rejoiceH8055 in him. Surely this also is vanityH1892 and vexationH7475 of spirit.H7307
Recognizing the value of consistent reflection upon the Word of God in order to refocus one's mind and heart upon Christ and His Gospel of peace, we provide several reading plans designed to cover the entire Bible in a year.
The Blue Letter Bible ministry and the BLB Institute hold to the historical,
conservative Christian faith, which includes a firm belief in the inerrancy
of Scripture. Since the text and audio content provided by BLB represent a
range of evangelical traditions, all of the ideas and principles conveyed
in the resource materials are not necessarily affirmed, in total, by this ministry.
Translation Selection order copied to Bibles Tab order
Bibles Tab order copied to Translation Selection order
Translation Selection order and Bibles Tab order have been reset
You can copy the order of your preferred Bible translations from the Bibles Tab to the Version Picker (this popup) or vice versa. The Bibles Tab is found in the Tools feature on Bible pages:
KJVKing James Version
NKJVNew King James Version
NLTNew Living Translation
NIVNew International Version
ESVEnglish Standard Version
CSBChristian Standard Bible
NASB20New American Standard Bible 2020
NASB95New American Standard Bible 1995
LSBLegacy Standard Bible
AMPAmplified Bible
NETNew English Translation
RSVRevised Standard Version
ASVAmerican Standard Version
YLTYoung's Literal Translation
DBYDarby Translation
WEBWebster's Bible
HNVHebrew Names Version
VULLatin Vulgate
WLCWestminster Leningrad Codex
LXXSeptuagint
mGNTMorphological Greek New Testament
TRTextus Receptus
SVDSmith Van Dyck Arabic Bible
NAVOpen New Arabic Version
RVR09Reina Valera 1909
RVR60Reina-Valera 1960
BBEBible in Basic English
CHTChinese Traditional Union
EMEspanol Moderno
KORKorean Holy Bible
LSLouis Segond
LUTGerman Luther
RSTRussian Synodal Translation
SESagradas Escrituras
Cite This Page
MLA Format
Note: MLA no longer requires the URL as part of their citation standard. Individual instructors or editors may still require the use of URLs.
Cookie Notice:
Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage.
Please see Blue Letter Bible's Privacy Policy for cookie usage details.