Ecclesiastes 4:7

Amplified Bible

Then I looked again at vanity under the sun [in one of its peculiar forms].

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Again, I saw futility under the sun:

Hebrew Names Version
Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

King James Version
Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.

English Standard Version
Again, I saw vanity under the sun:

New American Standard Bible
Then I looked again at futility under the sun.

New Century Version
Again I saw something here on earth that was useless:

World English Bible
Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Againe I returned, and sawe vanitie vnder the sunne.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then I looked again at vanity under the sun.

Berean Standard Bible
Again, I saw futility under the sun.

Contemporary English Version
Once again I saw that nothing on earth makes sense.

Complete Jewish Bible
Then I turned my attention to something else under the sun that is pointless:

Darby Translation
And I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

Easy-to-Read Version
Again I saw something else that didn't make sense:

George Lamsa Translation
Then I turned, and I saw vanity under the sun.

Good News Translation
I have noticed something else in life that is useless.

Lexham English Bible
I turned again and saw another vanity under the sun.

Literal Translation
Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Morouer, I turned me, and beholde yet another vanite vnder the Sonne.

American Standard Version
Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

Bible in Basic English
Then I came back, and I saw an example of what is to no purpose under the sun.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

King James Version (1611)
Then I returned, and I saw vanitie vnder the Sunne.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Moreouer I turned me, and beholde yet another vanitie vnder the sunne.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
So I returned, and saw vanity under the sun.

English Revised Version
Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
I bihelde and foond also another vanytee vndir the sunne;

Update Bible Version
Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.

New English Translation
So I again considered another futile thing on earth:

New King James Version
Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun:

New Living Translation
I observed yet another example of something meaningless under the sun.

New Life Bible
Then I looked again at what is of no use under the sun.

New Revised Standard
Again, I saw vanity under the sun:

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then again, I, looked at a vain thing under the sun: -

Douay-Rheims Bible
Considering I found also another vanity under the sun:

Revised Standard Version
Again, I saw vanity under the sun:

Young's Literal Translation
And I have turned, and I see a vain thing under the sun:

THE MESSAGE
I turned my head and saw yet another wisp of smoke on its way to nothingness: a solitary person, completely alone—no children, no family, no friends—yet working obsessively late into the night, compulsively greedy for more and more, never bothering to ask, "Why am I working like a dog, never having any fun? And who cares?" More smoke. A bad business.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then I looked again at vanity under the sun.

Contextual Overview

⁷Then I looked again at vanity under the sun [in one of its peculiar forms].⁸There was a certain man—without a dependent, having neither a child nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches and he never asked, "For whom do I labor and deprive myself of pleasure?" This too is vanity (a wisp of smoke, self-conceit); yes, it is a painful effort and an unhappy task. ⁹Two are better than one because they have a more satisfying return for their labor; ¹⁰for if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and does not have another to lift him up. ¹¹Again, if two lie down together, then they keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? ¹²And though one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Ecclesiastes 4:1, Psalms 78:33, Zechariah 1:6

Reciprocal: Psalms 39:6 - surely Ecclesiastes 1:3 - under Ecclesiastes 8:9 - this Ecclesiastes 10:5 - an evil

Cross-References

Genesis 3:16
To the woman He said, "I will greatly multiply Your pain in childbirth; In pain you will give birth to children; Yet your desire and longing will be for your husband, And he will rule [with authority] over you and be responsible for you."

Genesis 4:6
And the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you so angry? And why do you look annoyed?

Genesis 4:8
Cain talked with Abel his brother [about what God had said]. And when they were [alone, working] in the field, Cain attacked Abel his brother and killed him.

Genesis 4:9
Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" And he [lied and] said, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?"

Genesis 4:10
The LORD said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's [innocent] blood is crying out to Me from the ground [for justice].

Genesis 4:11
"And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's [shed] blood from your hand.

Genesis 4:12
"When you cultivate the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength [it will resist producing good crops] for you; you shall be a fugitive and a vagabond [roaming aimlessly] on the earth [in perpetual exile without a home, a degraded outcast]."

Genesis 4:13
Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is greater than I can bear.

Genesis 19:21
And the angel said to him, "Behold, I grant you this request also; I will not destroy this town of which you have spoken.

Numbers 32:23
"But if you do not do this, behold, you will have sinned against the LORD; and be sure that your sin will find you out.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun. Another vanity besides what he had taken notice of, and is as follows. Aben Ezra's note is,

"I turned from considering the words of this fool, and I saw another fool, the reverse of the former.''

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The spectacle of a prosperous man whose condition is rendered vain by his brotherless, childless isolation.

Ecclesiastes 4:8

A second - Any one associated or connected with him.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Compare a saying from the Talmud: “A man without companions is like the left hand without the right.”