ECC 4:4 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed for doing comparisons of different translations. Click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

BrLXX Καὶ εἶδον ἐγὼ σύμπαντα τὸν μόχθον, καὶ σύμπασαν ἀνδρίαν τοῦ ποιήματος, ὅτι αὐτὸ ζῆλος ἀνδρὸς ἀπὸ τοῦ ἑταίρου αὐτοῦ· καί γε τοῦτο ματαιότης καὶ προαίρεσις πνεύματος.
(Kai eidon egō sumpanta ton moⱪthon, kai sumpasan andrian tou poiaʸmatos, hoti auto zaʸlos andros apo tou hetairou autou; kai ge touto mataiotaʸs kai proairesis pneumatos. )

BrTr And I saw all labour, and all the diligent work, that this is a man's envy from his neighbour. This is also vanity and waywardness of spirit.

ULT And I saw, I, every toil and every success of the deed, that it was the envy of a person from his friend. This also is vapor and striving after wind.

UST I also thought about all the hard work that people do and the things they are able to accomplish. And I thought about how someone who works hard sometimes makes his neighbor jealous. I decided that this also is something that is not accomplishing anything useful. It is like trying to control the wind.

BSB § I saw that all labor and success spring from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

OEB Then I observed that all the laborious and skilful work of men has its origin and issue in their jealousy of one another. Here is another illusion and a chasing of the wind.

WEBBE Then I saw all the labour and achievement that is the envy of a man’s neighbour. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Then I considered all the skillful work that is done:
⇔ Surely it is nothing more than competition between one person and another.
⇔ This also is profitless – like chasing the wind.

LSV And I have seen all the labor, and all the benefit of the work, because for it a man is the envy of his neighbor. Even this [is] vanity and distress of spirit.

FBV I observed that every skill in work comes from competition with others. Once again this is hard to understand, like trying to hold on to the elusive wind.

T4T I also thought about all the hard work that people do and the skills that they have. And I thought about how they compete with each other because they are envious of others, and I concluded that this also is something that is not accomplishing anything useful, like chasing the wind.

LEB I also realized that all of the toil and all of the skillful work that is done—it is envy between one man and another.[fn] This also is vanity and chasing wind!

4:4 Literally “his friend”

BBE And I saw that the cause of all the work and of everything which is done well was man's envy of his neighbour. This again is to no purpose and a desire for wind.

Moff No Moff ECC book available

JPS Again, I considered all labour and all excelling in work, that it is a man's rivalry with his neighbour. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

ASV Then I saw all labor and every skilful work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

DRA Again I considered all the labours of men, and I remarked that their industries are exposed to the envy of their neighhour: so in this also there is vanity, and fruitless care.

YLT And I have seen all the labour, and all the benefit of the work, because for it a man is the envy of his neighbour. Even this [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.

Drby And I saw all labour, and all success of work, that it is man's jealousy of his neighbour. This also is vanity and pursuit of the wind.

RV Then I saw all labour and every skilful work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Wbstr Again, I considered all labor, and every right work, that for this a man is envied by his neighbor. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

KJB-1769 ¶ 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.[fn][fn]

4.4 every…: Heb. all the rightness of work

4.4 for this…: Heb. this is the envy of a man from his neighbour

KJB-1611 ¶ [fn][fn]Againe I considered all trauaile, and euery right worke, that for this a man is enuied of his neighbour: this is also vanitie, and vexation of spirit.
(¶ Again I considered all trauaile, and every right work, that for this a man is enuied of his neighbour: this is also vanitie, and vexation of spirit.)

4:4 Heb. all the rightnes of worke.

4:4 Heb. this is the enuie of a man from his neighbour.

Bshps Agayne, I sawe that all trauayle and diligence of labour that euery man taketh in hande, was done of enuie agaynst his neighbour: This is also a vayne thyng, and a vexation of mynde.
(Agayne, I saw that all trauayle and diligence of labour that every man taketh in hand, was done of enuie against his neighbour: This is also a vayne thing, and a vexation of mind.)

Gnva Also I beheld all trauaile, and all perfection of workes that this is ye enuie of a man against his neighbour: this also is vanitie and vexation of spirit.
(Also I beheld all trauaile, and all perfection of works that this is ye/you_all enuie of a man against his neighbour: this also is vanity and vexation of spirit. )

Cvdl Agayne, I sawe that all trauayle and diligence of laboure was hated of euery man. This is also a vaine thinge, and a vexacion of mynde.
(Agayne, I saw that all trauayle and diligence of laboure was hated of every man. This is also a vaine thing, and a vexacion of mind.)

Wycl Eft Y bihelde alle the trauelis of men, and bisynesses; and Y perseyuede that tho ben opyn to the enuye of neiybore; and therfor in this is vanyte, and superflu bisynesse.
(Eft I bihelde all the trauelis of men, and bisynesses; and I perseyuede that those been opyn to the enuye of neighbour; and therefore in this is vanyte, and superflu bisynesse.)

Luth Ich sah an Arbeit und Geschicklichkeit in allen Sachen; da neidet einer den andern. Das ist je auch eitel und Mühe.
(I saw at Arbeit and Geschicklichkeit in all Sachen; there neidet einer the andern. The is each/ever also eitel and Mühe.)

ClVg Rursum contemplatus sum omnes labores hominum, et industrias animadverti patere invidiæ proximi; et in hoc ergo vanitas et cura superflua est.
(Rursum contemplatus I_am everyone labores of_men, and industrias animadverti patere invidiæ proximi; and in this therefore vanitas and cura superflua it_is. )

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

(Occurrence 0) became the envy of one’s neighbor

(Some words not found in UHB: and,saw I DOM all/each/any/every toil and=DOM all/each/any/every skill the,work that/for/because/then/when she/it envy (a)_man of,another,his also/yet this Heⱱel/(Abel) and,chasing wind )

The word “envy” may be expressed as an adjective. Alternate translation: “made one’s neighbor envious”

(Occurrence 0) the envy of one’s neighbor

This could mean: (1) The neighbor envies the object his neighbor made, or (2) the neighbor envies the skills his neighbor has.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

(Occurrence 0) vapor … an attempt to shepherd the wind

These two phrases are both metaphors that emphasize the idea of things being useless and futile.

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

(Occurrence 0) vapor

“mist.” The author speaks of things as being useless and meaningless as if they were vapor. See how you translated this in Ecclesiastes 1:14. Alternate translation: “as useless as vapor” or “meaningless”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

(Occurrence 0) an attempt to shepherd the wind

The author speaks of everything that people do as being useless as if they were trying to control the wind. See how you translated this in Ecclesiastes 1:14. Alternate translation: “are as useless as trying to control the wind”

Parallel ECC 4:4