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Ecclesiastes 4:2-4
New Catholic Bible
Ecclesiastes 4:2-4
New Catholic Bible
2 As a result, I regarded the dead as fortunate,
because they had already died
and thus were happier than the living
who were still alive.
3 But happier than both of these
is the one yet unborn
who has not witnessed the evil deeds
that are done under the sun.
Concurrence of Toil and Envy.[a] 4 Then I came to realize that all toil and skill in work derive from one person’s envy of another. This also is vanity and a chase after the wind.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 4:4 Certainly labor and success would merit our praise if the desire to possess would not introduce the poison of jealousy therein. Observe how the two sayings in verses 5-6 are contradictory; the first was undoubtedly inserted later on by a scrupulous scribe.
Ecclesiastes 4:2-4
New International Version
Ecclesiastes 4:2-4
New International Version
2 And I declared that the dead,(A)
who had already died,
are happier than the living,
who are still alive.(B)
3 But better than both
is the one who has never been born,(C)
who has not seen the evil
that is done under the sun.(D)
4 And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.(E)
New International Version (NIV) 
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