Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and, behold, the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.
Wherefore I praised the dead that have been long dead more than the living that are yet alive;
yea, {Or, better than they both is he that &c.}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.
Then I saw all labor and every {Or, successful}skilful work, that {Or, it cometh of a man's rivalry with his neighbor}for this a man is envied of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
Better is a handful, {Or, of}with quietness, than two handfuls {Or, of}with labor and striving after wind.
Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.
There is one that is alone, and he hath not a second; yea, he hath neither son nor brother; yet is there no end of all his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with riches. For whom then, saith he, do I labor, and deprive my soul of good? This also is vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.
For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, and hath not another to lift him up.
Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one be warm alone?
And if a man prevail against him that is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth not how to receive admonition any more.
For out of prison he came forth to be king; yea, even in his kingdom he was born poor.
I saw all the living that walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the second, that stood up in his stead.
{Or, There is no end, in the mind of all the people, to all that hath been before them; they also &c.}There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was: yet they that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.
Querverweise zu Prediger 4,4 Pred 4,4
And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And Jehovah had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
but unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
And Jehovah said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
If thou doest well, shall it not be lifted up? and if thou doest not well, sin coucheth at the door: and unto thee shall be its desire; but do thou rule over it.
And Cain {Hebrew: said unto.}told Abel his brother. And it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
{Or, There is no end, in the mind of all the people, to all that hath been before them; they also &c.}There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was: yet they that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.
These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and he was a lad with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought the evil report of them unto their father.
Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him {Or, a long garment with sleeves}a coat of many colors.
And his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren; and they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.
And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.
And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:
for, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves came round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.
And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.
And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed yet a dream: and, behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars made obeisance to me.
And he told it to his father, and to his brethren; and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?
And his brethren envied him; but his father kept the saying in mind.
I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and {Or, a feeding on wind (see Hosea 12:1) Or, vexation of spirit (and so elsewhere)}a striving after wind.
And Saul was very wroth, and this saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?
For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with {Or, success}skilfulness; yet to a man that hath not labored therein shall he {Hebrew: give.}leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.
For to the man that pleaseth him God giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that pleaseth God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
And David {Or, prospered}behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and Jehovah was with him.
And when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe of him.
But all Israel and Judah loved David; for he went out and came in before them.
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.
And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul was David's enemy continually.
Seeing there are many {Or, words}things that increase vanity, what is man the better?
Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, as often as they went forth, that David {Or, prospered more than}behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much {Hebrew: precious.}set by.
And his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren; and they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.
Wrath is cruel, and anger is {Hebrew: a flood.}overwhelming;But who is able to stand before jealousy?
And his brethren envied him; but his father kept the saying in mind.
For he knew that for envy they had delivered him up.
And the patriarchs, moved with jealousy against Joseph, sold him into Egypt: and God was with him,
Or think ye that the scripture {Or, saith in vain}speaketh in vain? {Or, The Spirit which he made to dwell in us he yearneth for even unto jealous envy. Compare Jeremiah 3:14; Hosea 2:19 f. Or, That Spirit which he made to dwell in us yearneth for us even unto jealous envy.}Doth the spirit which {Some ancient authorities read dwelleth in us.}he made to dwell in us long unto envying?
not as Cain was of the evil one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his works were evil, and his brother's righteous.