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The NET Bible®
Ecclesiastes 4:3
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But most fortunate of all are those who are not yet born. For they have not seen all the evil that is done under the sun.
yes, better than them both [did I esteem] him that has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
But those who have never been born are better off still; they have not seen the evil that is done here on earth.
Yes, better is [he] than both they, who hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
Yes, better than them both is him who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
But better off than either of them is the one who has not yet been born, who has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.
But better than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.
and Y demyde hym, that was not borun yit, and siy not the yuels that ben don vndur the sunne, to be blisfulere than euer eithir.
yea, better than them both did I esteem him which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
But better than both is he who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.
But those who have never been born are better off than anyone else, because they have never seen the terrible things that happen on this earth."
yea, better than them both did I esteem him that hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
Yes, happier than the dead or the living seemed he who has not ever been, who has not seen the evil which is done under the sun.
but happier than either of them is the one who has not yet been born, because he has not yet seen the evil things that are done under the sun.
and more fortunate than both is he who hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
And it is even better for those who die at birth, because they never saw the evil that is done in this world.
but better than they both is he that hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
Yea better is he then both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seene the euill worke that is done vnder the Sunne.
But better than both is the one who has never been, who has never seen the wrong that is done under the sun.
but better than both is the one who has not yet been, and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.
And I count him better then them both, which hath not yet bin: for he hath not seene the euill workes which are wrought vnder the sunne.
But, better is he who has not yet been born than both of them, because he has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
But better off than either are those who have never been born, who have never seen the injustice that goes on in this world.
and, as better than both, him who had not yet come into being, - who had not seen the vexatious work, which was done under the sun.
And I judged him happier than them both, that is not yet born, nor hath seen the evils that are done under the sun.
but better than both is he who has not yet been, and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.
Yea him that is yet vnborne, to be better at ease then they both: because he seeth not the miserable workes that are done vnder the sunne.
Better also than both these is he who has not yet been, who has not seen all the evil work that is done under the sun.
But better than either of them is the one who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.
Yes, better than them both is him who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
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.
But better off than both of them is the one who has not yet been born and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.
Yea, better than both is he who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
And better than both of them [is] he who hath not yet been, in that he hath not seen the evil work that hath been done under the sun.
yee him that is yet vnborne to be better at ease the they both, because he seith not the miserable workes that are done vnder the Sonne.
But better off than both of them is the one who has never existed, who has never seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.
Yet, better than both is he who has never existed, Who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
But better off than both of them is the one who has never existed, who has never seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.
But better off than both of them is the one who never has been, who has never seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
better: Ecclesiastes 6:3-5, Job 3:10-16, Job 10:18, Job 10:19, Jeremiah 20:17, Jeremiah 20:18, Matthew 24:19, Luke 23:29
who: Ecclesiastes 1:14, Ecclesiastes 2:17, Psalms 55:6-11, Jeremiah 9:2, Jeremiah 9:3
Reciprocal: Ecclesiastes 1:3 - under Ecclesiastes 2:18 - I hated
Cross-References
Now the man had marital relations with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. Then she said, "I have created a man just as the Lord did!"
So now, you are banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.
"All the best of the olive oil and all the best of the wine and of the wheat, the first fruits of these things that they give to the Lord , I have given to you.
After a while, the stream dried up because there had been no rain in the land.
During all this time I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes of Babylon, I had gone back to the king. After some time I had requested leave of the king,
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Yea, better [is he] than both they which hath not yet been,.... That is, an unborn person; who is preferred both to the dead that have seen oppression, and to the living that are under it; see Job 3:10. This supposes a person to be that never was, a mere nonentity; and the judgment made is according to sense, and regards the dead purely as such, and so as free from evils and sorrows, without any respect to their future state and condition; for otherwise an unborn person is not happier than the dead that die in Christ, and live with him: and it can only be true of those that perish, of whom indeed it might be said, that it would have been better for them if they had never been born, according to those words of Christ,
Matthew 26:24; and is opposed to the maxim of some philosophers, that a miserable being is better than none at all. The Jews, from this passage, endeavour to prove the pre-existence of human souls, and suppose that such an one is here meant, which, though created, was not yet sent into this world in a body, and so had never seen evil and sorrow; and this way some Christian writers have gone. It has been interpreted also of the Messiah, who in Solomon's time had not yet been a man, and never known sorrow, which he was to do, and has, and so more happy than the dead or living. But these are senses that will not bear; the first is best; and the design is to show the great unhappiness of mortals, that even a nonentity is preferred to them;
who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun? the evil works of oppressors, and the sorrows of the oppressed.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Ecclesiastes 4:3. Which hath not yet been — Better never to have been born into the world, than to have seen and suffered so many miseries.
