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Sunday, May 18th, 2025
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Read the Bible

Bishop's Bible

Ecclesiastes 4:7

Moreouer I turned me, and beholde yet another vanitie vnder the sunne.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Avarice;   Miser;   The Topic Concordance - Company;   Vanity;  

Dictionaries:

- Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Sirach;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Ecclesiastes, Book of;  

Encyclopedias:

- The Jewish Encyclopedia - Death, Angel of;   Jephthah;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for September 16;  

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.
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

7 Moreouer I turned me, and beholde yet another vanitie vnder the sunne. 8 There is one man, no mo but himselfe alone, hauing neither childe nor brother, yet is there no ende of his carefull trauayle, his eyes can not be satisfied with riches: [yet saith he not] for whom do I take such trauayle? For whose pleasure do I thus consume away my life? This is also a vayne and miserable thyng. 9 Therfore two are better then one, for they may well enioy the profite of their labour: For yf one of them fall, his companion helpeth him vp agayne. 10 But wo is him that is alone: for yf he fal, he hath not another to helpe him vp. 11 Agayne, when two sleepe together they are warme: but howe can a body be warme alone? 12 One may be ouercome, but two may make resistaunce: A three folde gable is not lightly 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
But vnto the woman he sayde: I wyll very much multiplie thy sorowe, and thy griefes of chylde bearyng, In sorowe shalt thou bring foorth children: thy desire [shalbe] to thy husbande, and he shall haue the rule of thee.
Genesis 4:6
And the Lorde saide vnto Cain: why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenaunce abated?
Genesis 4:8
And Cain talked with Habel his brother: and it came to passe when they were in the fielde, Cain rose vp agaynst Habel his brother, & slewe him.
Genesis 4:9
And the Lorde said vnto Cain: where is Habel thy brother? Which sayde I wote not: Am I my brothers keper?
Genesis 4:10
And he sayde: What hast thou done? the voyce of thy brothers blood cryeth vnto me out of the grounde.
Genesis 4:11
And nowe art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receaue thy brothers blood from thy hande.
Genesis 4:12
If thou tyll the grounde, she shall not yeelde vnto thee her strength. A fugitiue and a vacabound shalt thou be in the earth.
Genesis 4:13
And Cain sayde vnto the Lord: My iniquitie is more then that it may be forgeuen.
Genesis 19:21
And he sayde to hym: See, I haue receaued thy request as concernyng this thing, that I wyll not ouerthrowe this citie for the whiche thou hast spoken.
Numbers 32:23
But and if ye wyll not do so, beholde, ye haue sinned agaynst the Lorde: and be sure your sinne wyll finde 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.”


 
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