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Written Scriptures / Rahlfs Septuagint / Ecclesiastes / Chapter 4

Rahlfs Septuagint

Ecclesiastes 4

Greek text followed verse by verse by a direct English translation.

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And I turned and saw together all the oppressions that are done under the sun, and behold, the tear of the oppressed, and there is no comforter for them; and from the hand of those oppressing them there is power, and there is no comforter for them.

ἐπῄνεσα ἐγὼ σὺν τοὺς τεθνηκότας τοὺς ἤδη ἀποθανόντας ὑπὲρ τοὺς ζῶντας ὅσοι αὐτοὶ ζῶσιν ἕως τοῦ νῦν

And I praised the dead, those who had already died, more than the living, as many as are living up to now.

And better than these two is he who has not yet come into being, who has not seen the evil deed that has been done under the sun.

And I saw I together all the toil and together all the courage of the work, that this also is a man’s jealousy from his companion, and indeed this is vanity and choice of spirit.

ἄφρων περιέλαβεν τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔφαγεν τὰς σάρκας αὐτοῦ

The fool folded his hands and ate his own flesh.

πλήρωμα δρακὸς ἀναπαύσεως ὑπὲρ πλήρωμα δύο δρακῶν μόχθου καὶ προαιρέσεως πνεύματος

Better is a handful full of rest than two handfuls full of toil and striving of spirit

ἐπέστρεψα ἐγὼ καὶ εἶδον ματαιότητα ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον

And I turned and I saw vanity under the sun

There is one and there is not a second; and indeed he has no son nor brother, and there is no end to all his toil; and indeed his eye is not satisfied with wealth. And for whom am I toiling and depriving my soul of good? and indeed this is vanity and a evil distraction.

οἱ δύο ὑπὲρ τὸν ἕνα οἷς ἔστιν αὐτοῖς μισθὸς ἀγαθὸς ἐν μόχθῳ αὐτῶν

Two are better than one, for there is a good reward for them in their toil.

For if they fall, the one will raise up his companion; but woe to him, the one, when he falls and there is not a second to raise him up.

γε ἐὰν κοιμηθῶσιν δύο καὶ θέρμη αὐτοῖς καὶ ὁ εἷς πῶς θερμανθῇ

And indeed, if two lie down, then there is warmth for them, but how shall one be warmed?

ἐὰν ἐπικραταιωθῇ ὁ εἷς οἱ δύο στήσονται κατέναντι αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ σπαρτίον τὸ ἔντριτον οὐ ταχέως ἀπορραγήσεται

And if the one prevail against him, the two shall stand against him; and the threefold cord shall not quickly be broken.

παῖς πένης καὶ σοφὸς ὑπὲρ βασιλέα πρεσβύτερον καὶ ἄφρονα ὃς οὐκ ἔγνω τοῦ προσέχειν ἔτι

Better is a poor and wise child than an old and foolish king, who no longer knew how to take heed.

ἐξ οἴκου τῶν δεσμίων ἐξελεύσεται τοῦ βασιλεῦσαι ὅτι καί γε ἐν βασιλείᾳ αὐτοῦ ἐγεννήθη πένης

For from the house of the prisoners he will go out to reign, for even in his kingdom he was born poor.

σὺν πάντας τοὺς ζῶντας τοὺς περιπατοῦντας ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον μετὰ τοῦ νεανίσκου τοῦ δευτέρου ὃς στήσεται ἀντ᾿ αὐτοῦ

I saw with all the living who walk under the sun with the second young man who will stand in his place

There was no end to all the people, to all those who were before them, and indeed the last ones will not rejoice in it, because indeed this also is vanity and a striving after wind

Guard your foot when you go into the house of God, and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil.

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