King James Version

Ecclesiastes 4:1

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.

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Hebrew

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וְשַׁ֣בְתִּֽיveshavtiand againשׁוּבconjunction, verb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, singular — “and again”, a completed actionH7725to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again,…אֲנִ֗יanimineאֲנִיpronoun, personal, 1st person, common, singular — “mine”H589II, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, [idiom] which, [idiom] who.וָאֶרְאֶה֙vaerehand seeרָאָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 1st person, common, singular — “and see”, the next action in the storyH7200to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)advise self, appear, approve, behold, [idiom] certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), m…אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).כָּלkalallכֹּלnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “all”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3605properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).הָ֣עֲשֻׁקִ֔יםhaashuqimthe oppressedעָשׁוּקdefinite article, verb, qal, passive participle, absolute — “the oppressed”, a verb used as a describing wordH6217used in plural masculine as abstractly, tyrannyoppressed(-ion). (Doubtful.)אֲשֶׁ֥רasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, relative — “because”H834who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.[idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever,…נַעֲשִׂ֖יםnaasimdoעָשָׂהverb, niphal, passive participle, absolute — “do”, a verb used as a describing wordH6213to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest applicationaccomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, f…תַּ֣חַתtachatwithתַּחַתpreposition — “with”H8478the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc.as, beneath, [idiom] flat, in(-stead), (same) place (where...is), room, for...sake, stead of, under, [idiom] unto, [idiom] when...was mine, whereas, (where-) fore, with.הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁhashameshthe sunשֶׁמֶשׁdefinite article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “the sun”, the ordinary formH8121the sun; by implication, the east; figuratively, a ray, i.e. (architectural) a notched battlement[phrase] east side(-ward), sun (rising), [phrase] west(-ward), window. See also H1053 (בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁ).וְהִנֵּ֣הvehinehand loהִנֵּהconjunction, particle, demonstrative — “and lo”H2009lo!behold, lo, see.דִּמְעַ֣תdimattearsדִּמְעָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “tears”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1832weepingtears.הָעֲשֻׁקִ֗יםhaashuqimthe oppressedעָשׁוּקdefinite article, verb, qal, passive participle, absolute — “the oppressed”, a verb used as a describing wordH6217used in plural masculine as abstractly, tyrannyoppressed(-ion). (Doubtful.)וְאֵ֤יןveeynand elseאַיִןconjunction, particle, negative — “and else”H369a non-entity; generally used as a negative particleelse, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare H370 (אַיִן).לָהֶם֙lahemtoלָהֶם֙preposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “to”toמְנַחֵ֔םmenachemcomfortנָחַםverb, piel, participle, absolute — “comfort”, a verb used as a describing wordH5162properly, to sigh, i.e. breathe strongly; by implication, to be sorry, i.e. (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge (oneself)comfort (self), ease (one's self), repent(-er,-ing, self).וּמִיַּ֤דumiyadand from handיָדconjunction, preposition, noun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “and from hand”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3027a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),([phrase] be) able, [idiom] about, [phrase] armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, [idiom] bounty, [phrase] broad, (broken-) handed, [idiom] by, charge, coast, [phrase] consecrate, [phrase] creditor, custody, debt, dominion, […עֹֽשְׁקֵיהֶם֙osheqeyhemdefraudעָשַׁקverb, qal, participle, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “defraud”, a verb used as a describing wordH6231to press upon, i.e. oppress, defraud, violate, overflowget deceitfully, deceive, defraud, drink up, (use) oppress(-ion), -or), do violence (wrong).כֹּ֔חַkochaforceכֹּחַnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “force”, the ordinary formH3581vigor, literally (force, in a good or a bad sense) or figuratively (capacity, means, produce); also (from its hardiness) a large lizardability, able, chameleon, force, fruits, might, power(-ful), strength, substance, wealth.וְאֵ֥יןveeynand elseאַיִןconjunction, particle, negative — “and else”H369a non-entity; generally used as a negative particleelse, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare H370 (אַיִן).לָהֶ֖םlahemtoלָהֶ֖םpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “to”toמְנַחֵֽםmenachemcomfortנָחַםverb, piel, participle, absolute — “comfort”, a verb used as a describing wordH5162properly, to sigh, i.e. breathe strongly; by implication, to be sorry, i.e. (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge (oneself)comfort (self), ease (one's self), repent(-er,-ing, self).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

But 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.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

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.

Young’s Literal Translation

And I have turned, and I see all the oppressions that are done under the sun, and lo, the tear of the oppressed, and they have no comforter; and at the hand of their oppressors [is] power, and they have no comforter.

World English Bible

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.

Darby Translation

And I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors was power, and they had no comforter.

Douay-Rheims

I turned myself to other things, and I saw the oppressions that are done under the sun, and the tears of the innocent, and they had no comforter; and they were not able to resist their violence, being destitute of help from any.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

So I returned, and saw all the oppressions that were done under the sun: and behold the tear of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of them that oppressed them was power; but they had no comforter:

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ἐπέστρεψα ἐγὼ, καὶ εἶδον συμπάσας τὰς συκοφαντίας τὰς γενομένας ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον· καὶ ἰδοὺ δάκρυον τῶν συκοφαντουμένων, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῖς παρακαλῶν, καὶ ἀπὸ χειρὸς συκοφαντούντων αὐτοῖς ἰσχὺς, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῖς παρακαλῶν.