Riches Are Meaningless

If you see the poor oppressed(A) in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still.

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The Vanity of Gain and Honor

If you (A)see the oppression of the poor, and the violent [a]perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for (B)high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them.

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 5:8 wresting

If you see (A)oppression of the poor and (B)denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be (C)shocked at the [a]sight; for one [b]official watches over another [c]official, and there are higher [d]officials over them.

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 5:8 Lit delight
  2. Ecclesiastes 5:8 Lit high one
  3. Ecclesiastes 5:8 Lit high one
  4. Ecclesiastes 5:8 Lit ones

Oppression, Toil, Friendlessness

Again I looked and saw all the oppression(A) that was taking place under the sun:

I saw the tears of the oppressed—
    and they have no comforter;
power was on the side of their oppressors—
    and they have no comforter.(B)

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The Uselessness of Selfish Toil

Then I returned and considered all the (A)oppression that is done under the sun:

And look! The tears of the oppressed,
But they have no comforter—
[a]On the side of their oppressors there is power,
But they have no comforter.

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 4:1 Lit. At the hand

The Evils of Oppression

Then I looked again at all the acts of (A)oppression which were being done under the sun. And behold, I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had (B)no one to comfort them; and power was on the side of their oppressors, but they had no one to comfort them.

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