Eclesiastés 4
La Biblia de las Américas
Injusticias de la vida
4 Entonces yo me volví y observé todas las opresiones(A) que se cometen bajo el sol:
Y he aquí, vi las lágrimas de los oprimidos,
sin que tuvieran consolador;
en mano de sus opresores estaba el poder,
sin que tuvieran consolador(B).
2 Y felicité a los muertos, los que ya murieron,
más que a los vivos, los que aún viven(C).
3 Pero mejor que ambos está el que nunca ha existido(D),
que nunca ha visto las malas obras que se cometen bajo el sol.
4 Y he visto que todo trabajo y toda obra hábil(E) que se hace, es el resultado de la rivalidad entre el hombre y su prójimo. También esto es vanidad y correr tras el viento[a](F).
5 El necio se cruza de manos(G),
y devora su propia carne(H).
6 Más vale una mano[b] llena de descanso
que dos puños llenos de trabajo(I) y correr tras el viento.
7 Entonces yo me volví y observé la vanidad bajo el sol:
8 Había un hombre solo, sin sucesor[c],
que no tenía hijo ni hermano,
sin embargo, no había fin a todo su trabajo.
En verdad, sus ojos no se saciaban de las riquezas(J),
y nunca se preguntó: ¿Para quién trabajo yo(K)
y privo a mi vida del placer?
También esto es vanidad y tarea penosa(L).
9 Más valen dos que uno solo,
pues tienen mejor remuneración por su trabajo.
10 Porque si uno de ellos cae[d], el otro[e] levantará a su compañero;
pero ¡ay del que cae cuando no hay otro[f] que lo levante!
11 Además, si dos se acuestan juntos se mantienen calientes[g],
pero uno solo ¿cómo se calentará(M)?
12 Y si alguien[h] puede prevalecer contra el que está solo,
dos lo resistirán.
Un cordel de tres hilos no se rompe fácilmente.
13 Mejor es un joven pobre y sabio(N),
que un rey viejo y necio,
que ya no sabe recibir consejos[i].
14 Porque ha salido de la cárcel para reinar(O),
aunque nació pobre en su reino.
15 He visto a todos los vivientes bajo el sol apresurarse a ir junto al joven sucesor[j] que lo reemplaza[k]. 16 No tenía fin la multitud[l] de todos los que lo[m] seguían, y ni aun los que vendrán después estarán contentos con él; pues también esto es vanidad y correr tras el viento(P).
Footnotes
- Eclesiastés 4:4 O, aflicción de espíritu, y así en en los vers. 6 y 16
- Eclesiastés 4:6 Lit., palma
- Eclesiastés 4:8 Lit., sin un segundo
- Eclesiastés 4:10 Lit., si ellos caen
- Eclesiastés 4:10 Lit., uno
- Eclesiastés 4:10 Lit., un segundo
- Eclesiastés 4:11 Lit., tienen calor
- Eclesiastés 4:12 Lit., él
- Eclesiastés 4:13 O, instrucción
- Eclesiastés 4:15 Lit., el segundo joven
- Eclesiastés 4:15 Lit., se coloca en su lugar
- Eclesiastés 4:16 Lit., todo el pueblo
- Eclesiastés 4:16 Así en algunas versiones antiguas; en heb., los
Ecclesiastes 4
New King James Version
The Uselessness of Selfish Toil
4 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.
2 (B)Therefore I praised the dead who were already dead,
More than the living who are still alive.
3 (C)Yet, better than both is he who has never existed,
Who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
The Vanity of Selfish Toil
4 Again, I saw that for all toil and every skillful work a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
5 (D)The fool folds his hands
And consumes his own flesh.
6 (E)Better a handful with quietness
Than both hands full, together with toil and grasping for the wind.
7 Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun:
8 There is one alone, without [b]companion:
He has neither son nor brother.
Yet there is no end to all his labors,
Nor is his (F)eye satisfied with riches.
But (G)he never asks,
“For whom do I toil and deprive myself of (H)good?”
This also is vanity and a [c]grave misfortune.
The Value of a Friend
9 Two are better than one,
Because they have a good reward for their labor.
10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.
But woe to him who is alone when he falls,
For he has no one to help him up.
11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm;
But how can one be warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him.
And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Popularity Passes Away
13 Better a poor and wise youth
Than an old and foolish king who will be admonished no more.
14 For he comes out of prison to be king,
Although [d]he was born poor in his kingdom.
15 I saw all the living who walk under the sun;
They were with the second youth who stands in his place.
16 There was no end of all the people [e]over whom he was made king;
Yet those who come afterward will not rejoice in him.
Surely this also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 4:1 Lit. At the hand
- Ecclesiastes 4:8 Lit. a second
- Ecclesiastes 4:8 Lit. evil task
- Ecclesiastes 4:14 The youth
- Ecclesiastes 4:16 Lit. to all before whom he was to be
Ecclesiastes 4
English Standard Version
Evil Under the Sun
4 (A)Again I (B)saw all (C)the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had (D)no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them. 2 And I (E)thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive. 3 But (F)better than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.
4 Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man's envy of his neighbor. This also is (G)vanity[a] and a striving after wind.
5 The fool (H)folds his hands and (I)eats his own flesh.
6 (J)Better is a handful of (K)quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.
7 (L)Again, I saw vanity under the sun: 8 one person who has no other, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his (M)eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, (N)“For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vanity and an unhappy (O)business.
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11 Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, (P)but how can one keep warm alone? 12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
13 Better was (Q)a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how (R)to take advice. 14 For he went (S)from prison to the throne, though in his own kingdom he had been born poor. 15 I saw all the living who move about under the sun, along with that[b] youth who was to stand in the king's[c] place. 16 There was no end of all the people, all of whom he led. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is (T)vanity and a striving after wind.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 4:4 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath”; also verses 7, 8, 16 (see note on 1:2)
- Ecclesiastes 4:15 Hebrew the second
- Ecclesiastes 4:15 Hebrew his
Ecclesiastes 4
King James Version
4 So I returned, and considered 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.
2 Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.
3 Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
4 Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
5 The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
6 Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.
7 Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.
8 There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.
9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?
12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
13 Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.
14 For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor.
15 I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead.
16 There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
传道书 4
Chinese New Version (Traditional)
鬥爭勞碌都是虛空
4 我又看見日光之下所發生一切欺壓的事：受欺壓的流淚，卻無人安慰他們；欺壓他們的，手裡握著權柄，因此無人安慰受欺壓的。 2 我讚歎那已死的人，勝過那還活著的人。 3 那還沒生下來的，就是還沒看過日光之下所行的惡事的，比這兩種人更有福。
4 我看見各樣的勞碌和各樣精巧的工作，都是出於人與人彼此的競爭。這也是虛空，也是捕風。 5 愚昧人抱著手，吃自己的肉。 6 一掌盛滿安寧，勝過兩手抓滿勞碌捕風。
7 我又看到日光之下有一件虛空的事。 8 有人孤單無依，沒有兒子，沒有兄弟，仍勞碌不休，眼目也不以自己的財富為足。他問：“我勞勞碌碌，刻薄自己不去享受，是為誰呢？”
這也是虛空，是勞苦的擔子。
9 二人勝過一人，因為他們一起的勞碌有美好的酬報。 10 如果一個跌倒，另一個可以把他的同伴扶起來。但一人孤身跌倒，沒有別人把他扶起來，他就悲慘了。 11 還有，二人同睡，就都暖和；一人獨睡，怎能暖和呢？ 12 有人能制伏孤身一人，如果有二人就擋得住他。三股合成的繩子，不容易扯斷。
13 貧窮但有智慧的年輕人，勝過年老不再納諫的愚昧王。 14 雖然他是從監獄出來，在自己的國中，又是出身貧寒，卻起來作王。 15 我看見所有在日光之下行走的活人，都隨從那取代老王的年輕人（“那取代老王的年輕人”或譯：“那取代他的第二位年輕人”）。 16 所有的人民，就是他所統治的人民，多得無數；然而後來的人卻不喜歡他。這實在也是虛空，也是捕風。
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.
