Ecclesiastes · Unlocked Literal Bible
Ecclesiastes 4 Unlocked Literal Bible
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
ULB Unlocked Literal Bible
RV1909 Reina-Valera 1909
WEB World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
1 Once again I thought about all the oppression that is done under the sun. And behold, the tears of oppressed people, and they had no one to comfort them! Power was in the hand of their oppressors, and there was no one to comfort them!
1 Y TORNÉME yo, y vi todas las violencias que se hacen debajo del sol: y he aquí las lágrimas de los oprimidos, y sin tener quien los consuele; y la fuerza estaba en la mano de sus opresores, y para ellos no había consolador.
1 Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold, the tears of those who were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.
2 So I considered those who are already dead more fortunate than the living, who are still alive.
2 Y alabé yo los finados que ya murieron, más que los vivientes que hasta ahora están vivos.
2 Therefore I praised the dead who have been long dead more than the living who are yet alive.
3 However, more fortunate than both of them is the one who has not yet lived, the one who has not seen any of the evil acts that are done under the sun.
3 Y [tuve] por mejor que unos y otros al que no ha sido aún, que no ha visto las malas obras que debajo del sol se hacen.
3 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.
4 Then I saw that every act of labor and every skillful work became the envy of one's neighbor. This also is vapor and an attempt to shepherd the wind.
4 Visto he asimismo que todo trabajo y toda excelencia de obras mueve la envidia del hombre contra su prójimo. También esto es vanidad y aflicción de espíritu.
4 Then I saw all the labor and achievement that is the envy of a man’s neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
5 The fool folds his hands and does not work, so his food is his own flesh.
5 El necio dobla sus manos y come su carne.
5 The fool folds his hands together and ruins himself.
6 But better is a handful of profit with quiet work than two handfuls with the work that tries to shepherd the wind.
6 Mas vale el un puño lleno con descanso, que ambos puños llenos con trabajo y aflicción de espíritu.
6 Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and chasing after wind.
7 Then I thought again about more futility, more vanishing vapor under the sun.
7 Yo me torné otra vez, y vi vanidad debajo del sol.
7 Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.
8 There is the kind of man who is alone. He does not have anyone, no son or brother. There is no end to all his work, and his eyes are not satisfied with gaining wealth. He wonders, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vapor, a bad situation.
8 Está un hombre solo y sin sucesor; que ni tiene hijo ni hermano; mas nunca cesa de trabajar, ni sus ojos se hartan de sus riquezas, [ni se pregunta]: ¿Para quién trabajo yo, y defraudo mi alma del bien? También esto es vanidad, y duro trabajo.
8 There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. “For whom then do I labor and deprive my soul of enjoyment?” This also is vanity. Yes, it is a miserable business.
9 Two people work better than one; together they can earn a good pay for their labor.
9 Mejores son dos que uno; porque tienen mejor paga de su trabajo.
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.
10 For if one falls, the other can lift up his friend. However, sorrow follows the one who is alone when he falls if there is no one to lift him up.
10 Porque si cayeren, el uno levantará á su compañero: mas ¡ay del solo! que cuando cayere, no habrá segundo que lo levante.
10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and doesn’t have another to lift him up.
11 If two lie down together, they can be warm, but how can one be warm alone?
11 También si dos durmieren juntos, se calentarán; mas ¿cómo se calentará uno [solo]?
11 Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one keep warm alone?
12 One man alone can be overpowered, but two can withstand an attack, and a three-strand rope is not quickly broken.
12 Y si alguno prevaleciere contra el uno, dos estarán contra él; y cordón de tres dobleces no presto se rompe.
12 If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
13 It is better to be a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to listen to warnings.
13 Mejor es el muchacho pobre y sabio, que el rey viejo y fatuo que no sabe ser aconsejado.
13 Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who doesn’t know how to receive admonition any more.
14 This is true even if the young man becomes king from prison, or even if he was born poor in his kingdom.
14 Porque de la cárcel salió para reinar; mientras el nacido en su reino se hizo pobre.
14 For out of prison he came out to be king; yes, even in his kingdom he was born poor.
15 I saw everyone who was alive and was walking around under the sun, along with a youth who was to rise up to take his place.
15 Vi todos los vivientes debajo del sol caminando con el muchacho sucesor, que estará en lugar de aquél.
15 I saw all the living who walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the other, who succeeded him.
16 There is no end to all the people who want to obey the new king, but later many of them will no longer praise him. Surely this situation is vapor and an attempt to shepherd the wind.
16 No tiene fin todo el pueblo que fué antes de ellos: tampoco los que vendrán después estarán con él contentos. Y esto es también vanidad y aflicción de espíritu.
16 There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was—yet those who come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
Cross references (16)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Ecclesiastes 3:16; Ecclesiastes 5:8; Isaiah 5:7; 2 Timothy 4:16–17; Isaiah 51:23
- 2 Job 3:11–26; Ecclesiastes 2:17; Ecclesiastes 9:4–6
- 3 Luke 23:29; Matthew 24:19; Ecclesiastes 6:3–5; Job 10:18–19; Jeremiah 9:2–3
- 4 1 John 3:12; Ecclesiastes 1:14; Ecclesiastes 2:21; Ecclesiastes 2:26; 1 Samuel 18:29–30
- 5 Isaiah 9:20; Proverbs 6:10–11; Proverbs 13:4; Proverbs 20:4; Job 13:14
- 6 Proverbs 16:8; Proverbs 15:16–17; Psalm 37:16; Proverbs 17:1
- 7 Ecclesiastes 4:1; Psalm 78:33; Zechariah 1:6
- 8 1 John 2:16; Proverbs 27:20; Luke 12:20; Ecclesiastes 1:8; Matthew 11:28
- 9 Proverbs 27:17; Genesis 2:18; 1 Corinthians 12:18–21; Numbers 11:14; Mark 6:7
- 10 1 Thessalonians 5:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:18; Galatians 6:1; Isaiah 35:3–4; Job 4:3–4
- 11 1 Kings 1:1–4
- 12 Ephesians 4:3; Daniel 3:16–17
- 13 Proverbs 19:1; 2 Chronicles 25:16; 2 Chronicles 16:9–10; Proverbs 28:15–16; 1 Kings 22:8
- 14 Psalm 113:7–8; Genesis 41:14; Job 5:11; Lamentations 4:20; Genesis 41:33–44
- 15 2 Samuel 15:6
- 16 Ecclesiastes 1:14; 1 Kings 1:40; Ecclesiastes 2:17; 2 Samuel 15:12–13; 1 Kings 1:5–7
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences