Ecclesiastes 4:7

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible

Then again, I, looked at a vain thing under the sun: -

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:

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

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:

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

⁷ Then again, I, looked at a vain thing under the sun: - ⁸ Here is one, without a second, even son or brother, he hath none, yet is there no end to all his toil, even his eye, is not satisfied with riches, - neither saith he For whom, am I toiling, and letting my soul want good? Even this, was vanity, yea a vexatious employment, it was! ⁹ Better are two, than one, - in that they have a good reward for their toil. ¹⁰ For, if the one should fall, the other would raise up his companion, - but alas! for him who is alone when he falleth, with no second to raise him up! ¹¹ Moreover, if two lie together, then have they warmth, - but how can, one, have warmth? ¹² And, though an enemy should prevail against one, two, might make a stand before him, - and, a threefold cord, cannot soon be 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
Unto the woman, he said, I will, increase, thy pain of pregnancy, In pain, shalt thou year children, - Yet, unto thy husband, shall be thy hinging, Though, he, rule over thee.

Genesis 4:6
So then Yahweh said unto Cain, - Wherefore hath it angered thee, and wherefore hath thy countenance fallen?

Genesis 4:8
And Cain said unto Abel his brother Let us go into the field And it came to pass when they were in the field that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

Genesis 4:9
Then said Yahweh unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said know not, the keeper of my brother, am, I?

Genesis 4:10
And he said, What hast thou done? With a voice, the shed-blood of thy brother is crying out to me from the ground,

Genesis 4:11
Now therefore, accursed, art thou, - from the ground which hath opened her mouth, to receive the shed-blood of thy brother at thy hand.

Genesis 4:12
Though thou till the ground, it shall not go on to give its vigour to thee. A wanderer and a fugitive, shalt thou be in the earth.

Genesis 4:13
And Cain said unto Yahweh - Greater is my punishment than I can bear.

Genesis 19:21
And he said unto him, Behold! I have lifted up thy countenance, even as to this thing, - so that I will not overthrow the city, of which thou hast spoken.

Numbers 32:23
But, if ye shall not do this, lo! ye will have sinned against Yahweh, - and take note of your sin, that it 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.”