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NASB Bible (with Strong's Numbers)

Ecclesiastes 4

The Evils of Oppression

1

Then I lookedh7200 againh7725 at allh3605 the actsh6217 of  aoppressionh6217 whichh834 were being doneh6213a underh8478 the sunh8121. And beholdh2009 I saw the tearsh1832 of the oppressedh6231 and that they hadh369  bnoh369 oneh369 to comforth5162 them; and on the sideh3027 of their oppressorsh6231 was powerh3581b, but they hadh369 noh369 oneh369 to comforth5162 them.

2

So  aI congratulatedh7623b the deadh4191 whoh7945 are alreadyh3528 deadh4191 moreh4480 thanh4480 the livingh2416a whoh834 are stillh5728 livingh2416a.

3

But  abetterh2896a off thanh4480 bothh8147 of them is the one whoh834 has neverh3808 existedh1961, whoh834 has neverh3808 seenh7200 the evilh7451a activityh4639 that is doneh6213a underh8478 the sunh8121.

4

I have seenh7200 that everyh3605 laborh5999 and everyh3605  askillh3788 which is doneh4639 is the result of rivalryh7068 between a manh376 and his neighborh7453. Thish2088 tooh1571 is  1 bvanityh1892 and strivingh7469 after windh7307.

5

The foolh3684  afoldsh2263 his handsh3027 and  bconsumesh398 his own fleshh1320.

6

One handh3709 fullh4393 of resth5183a is  abetterh2896a thanh4480 two fistsh2651 fullh4393 of laborh5999 and strivingh7469 after windh7307.

7

Then I lookedh7200 againh7725 at vanityh1892 underh8478 the sunh8121.

8

Thereh3426 was a certainh259 manh259 withouth369 a  1dependenth8145, havingh369 neitherh1571h369 a sonh1121 norh369 a brotherh251, yet thereh369 was noh369 endh7093 to allh3605 his laborh5999. Indeedh1571,  ahis eyesh5869 were not satisfiedh7646 with richesh6239 and he never asked, "And  bfor whomh4310 am I laboringh6001b and deprivingh2637 myselfh5315 of pleasureh2899b?" Thish2088 tooh1571 is vanityh1892 and it is a  cgrievoush7451a taskh6045.

9

Twoh8147 are betterh2896a thanh4480 oneh259 becauseh834 they haveh3426 a goodh2896a returnh7725 for their laborh5999.

10

For ifh518  1either of them fallsh5307, the oneh259 will lifth6965 up his companionh2270. But woeh337 to the oneh259 whoh7945 fallsh5307 when thereh369 is not  2anotherh8145 to lifth6965 him up.

11

Furthermoreh1571, ifh518 twoh8147 lieh7901 downh7901 together they  1keeph2552 warmh2552, but  ahowh349 can oneh259 be warmh2552 alone?

12

And ifh518  1oneh259 can overpowerh8630 him whoh259 is alone, twoh8147 can resisth5975h5048 him. A cordh2339 of threeh8027 strands is not quicklyh4120 tornh5423 aparth5423.

13

A  apoorh4542 yet wiseh2450 ladh3206 is betterh2896a thanh4480 an oldh2205 and foolishh3684 kingh4428 whoh834 noh3808 longerh5750 knowsh3045 how to receiveh2094b  1instructionh2094b.

14

For he has comeh3318  aout of prisonh1004h631 to becomeh4427a kingh4427a, evenh1571 thoughh3588 he was bornh3205 poorh7326 in his kingdomh4438.

15

I have seenh7200 allh3605 the livingh2416a underh8478 the sunh8121 throngh1980 to the sideh5973 of the secondh8145 ladh3206 whoh834  1replacesh5975h8478 him.

16

Thereh369 is noh369 endh7093 to allh3605 the peopleh5971a, to allh3605 whoh834 were beforeh6440 them, and evenh1571 the onesh314 whoh314 will comeh314 laterh314 will not be happyh8055 with him, for thish2088 tooh1571 is  avanityh1892 and strivingh7475 after windh7307.



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(Produced: Sat Dec 22 10:52:31 2007)

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