Ecclesiastes 4:1

New International Reader's Version

I looked and saw how much people were suffering on this earth. I saw the tears of those who are suffering. They don’t have anyone to comfort them. Power is on the side of those who treat them badly. Those who are suffering don’t have anyone to comfort them.

Cross References

Job 16:4

If you and I changed places, I could say the same things you are saying. I could make fine speeches against you. I could shake my head at you.

Job 35:9

“People cry out when they are treated badly. They beg to be set free from the power of those who are over them.

Job 6:29

Stop what you are saying. Don’t be so unfair. Think it over again. You are trying to take my honesty away from me.

Job 9:24

Suppose a nation falls into the power of sinful people. Then God makes its judges blind to the truth. If he isn’t the one doing it, who is?

Psalm 12:5

The Lord says, “The poor are being robbed. Those who are in need groan. So I will stand up to help them. I will keep them safe from those who tell lies about them.”

Psalm 142:4

Look and see that no one is on my right side to help me. No one is concerned about me. I have no place of safety. No one cares whether I live or die.

Psalm 142:5

Lord, I cry out to you. I say, “You are my place of safety. You are everything I need in this life.”

Psalm 42:3

My tears have been my food day and night. All day long people say to me, “Where is your God?”

Psalm 42:9

I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go around in sorrow? Why am I treated so badly by my enemies?”

Psalm 69:20

They have broken my heart by saying evil things about me. It has left me helpless. I looked for pity, but I didn’t find any. I looked for someone to comfort me, but I didn’t find anyone.

Psalm 69:21

They put bitter spices in my food. They gave me vinegar when I was thirsty.

Psalm 80:5

You have given us tears as our food. You have made us drink tears by the bowlful.

Exodus 1:16

“You are the ones who help the other Hebrew women. Watch them when they get into a sitting position to have their babies. Kill the boys. Let the girls live.”

Exodus 1:22

Then Pharaoh gave an order to all his people. He said, “You must throw every Hebrew baby boy into the Nile River. But let every Hebrew baby girl live.”

Proverbs 19:7

Poor people are avoided by their whole family. Their friends avoid them even more. The poor person runs after his friends to beg for help. But they can’t be found.

Proverbs 28:3

A ruler who treats poor people badly is like a pounding rain that leaves no crops.

Proverbs 29:2

When those who do right grow stronger, the people are glad. But when those who do wrong become rulers, the people groan.

Ecclesiastes 3:16

Here’s something else I saw on earth. Where people should be treated right, they are treated wrong. Where people should be treated fairly, they are treated unfairly.

Ecclesiastes 5:8

Suppose you see poor people being mistreated somewhere. And what is being done to them isn’t right or fair. Don’t be surprised by that. One official is watched by a higher one. Officials who are even higher are watching both of them.

Ecclesiastes 7:7

When a wise person takes wealth by force, they become foolish. It is sinful to take money from people who want special favors.

Ecclesiastes 8:9

I understood all these things. I used my mind to study everything that’s done on earth. A man sometimes makes life hard for others. But he ends up hurting himself.

Isaiah 5:7

The vineyard of the Lord who rules over all is the nation of Israel. The people of Judah are the vines he took delight in. He kept looking for them to do what is fair. But all he saw was blood being spilled. He kept looking for them to do what is right. But all he heard were cries of suffering.

Isaiah 51:23

Instead, I will give it to those who made you suffer. They said to you, ‘Fall down flat on the ground. Then we can walk all over you.’ And that is exactly what you did. You made your back like a street to be walked on.”

Isaiah 59:7

They are always in a hurry to sin. They run quickly to murder those who aren’t guilty. They love to think up evil plans. They leave a trail of harmful actions.

Jeremiah 16:7

No one will offer food or drink to comfort those who mourn for the dead. No one will do this even if someone’s father or mother has died.

Lamentations 1:16

“That’s why I am weeping. Tears are flowing from my eyes. No one is near to comfort me. No one can heal my spirit. My children don’t have anything. My enemies are much too strong for me.”

Lamentations 1:17

Zion reaches out her hands. But no one is there to comfort her people. The Lord has ordered that the neighbors of Jacob’s people would become their enemies. Jerusalem has become impure among them.

Lamentations 1:2

Jerusalem weeps bitterly at night. Tears run down her cheeks. None of her friends comforts her. All those who were going to help her have turned against her. They have become her enemies.

Lamentations 1:9

Her skirts are dirty. She didn’t think about how things might turn out. Her fall from power amazed everyone. And no one was there to comfort her. She said, “Lord, please pay attention to how much I’m suffering. My enemies have won the battle over me.”

Amos 3:10

“They do not know how to do what is right,” announces the Lord. “They store up stolen goods in their forts.”

Amos 3:9

Speak to the people in the forts of Ashdod and Egypt. Tell them, “Gather together on the mountains of Samaria. Look at the great trouble in that city. Its people are committing many crimes.”

Malachi 2:13

Here’s something else you do. You flood the Lord’s altar with your tears. You weep and cry because your offerings don’t please him anymore. He doesn’t accept them with pleasure from your hands.

Malachi 3:18

Then once again you will see the difference between godly people and sinful people. And you will see the difference between those who serve me and those who do not.

Malachi 3:5

“So I will come and put you on trial. I will be quick to bring charges against all of you,” says the Lord who rules over all. “I will bring charges against you sinful people who do not have any respect for me. That includes those who practice evil magic. It includes those who commit adultery and those who tell lies in court. It includes those who cheat workers out of their pay. It includes those who treat widows badly. It also includes those who mistreat children whose fathers have died. And it includes those who take away the rights of outsiders in the courts.

Matthew 26:56

But all this has happened so that the words of the prophets would come true.” Then all the disciples left him and ran away.

Deuteronomy 28:33

A nation you don’t know anything about will eat what you work to produce on your land. You will only be treated badly as long as you live.

Deuteronomy 28:48

So he will send enemies against you. You will have to serve them. You will be hungry and thirsty. You will be naked and poor. The Lord will put the iron chains of slavery around your necks until he has destroyed you.

James 5:4

You have even failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields. Their pay is crying out against you. The cries of those who gathered the harvest have reached the ears of the Lord. He rules over all.

Judges 4:3

Jabin used 900 chariots that had some iron parts. He treated the Israelites very badly for 20 years. So they cried out to the Lord for help.