Ecclesiastes 4:4 - Easy To Read Version

⁴ Then I thought, “Why do people work so hard?” I saw people try to succeed and be better than other people. Why? Because people are jealous. They don’t want other people to have more than they have. This is senseless. It is like trying to catch the wind. {\cf2\super [21]}

Tuilleadh leaganacha

King James Version (Oxford) 1769

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.

Amplified Bible - Classic Edition

⁴ Then I saw that all painful effort in labor and all skill in work comes from man's rivalry with his neighbor. This is also vanity, a vain striving after the wind and a feeding on it.

American Standard Version (1901)

⁴ 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.

Common English Bible

⁴ I also observed that people work hard and become good at what they do only out of mutual envy. This too is pointless, just wind chasing.

Catholic Public Domain Version

⁴ Again, I was contemplating all the labors of men. And I took notice that their endeavors are open to the envy of their neighbor. And so, in this, too, there is emptiness and superfluous anxiety.

Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version

⁴ Again I considered all the labours of men, and I remarked that their industries are exposed to the envy of their neighbour: so in this also there is vanity, and fruitless care.

Ecclesiastes 4:4 Tagairtí Cros

Genesis 26:14

He had many flocks and herds of animals. He also had many slaves. All the Philistine people were jealous of him.

Genesis 31:1

One day, Jacob heard Laban’s sons talking. They said, “Jacob has taken everything that our father owned. Jacob has become rich—and he has taken all this wealth from our father.”

Proverbs 27:4

Anger is cruel and mean. It causes destruction. But jealousy is much worse.

Ecclesiastes 1:14

I looked at all the things done on earth, and I saw that it is all a waste of time. It is like trying to catch the wind. {\cf2\super [6]}

Ecclesiastes 1:17

I decided to learn how wisdom and knowledge are better than thinking foolish things. But I learned that trying to become wise is like trying to catch the wind. {\cf2\super [7]}

Ecclesiastes 2:21

A person can work hard using all his wisdom and knowledge and skill. But that person will die and other people will get the things he worked for. Those people did not do the work, but they will get everything. That makes me very sad. That is also not fair and is senseless.

Ecclesiastes 2:26

If a person does good and pleases God, then God will give that person wisdom, knowledge, and joy. But a person that sins will get only the work of gathering and carrying things. God takes from the bad person and gives to the good person. But all this work is useless. It is like trying to catch the wind. {\cf2\super [14]}

Ecclesiastes 4:16

Many, many people will follow this young man. But later, those same people will not like him. This is also senseless. It is like trying to catch the wind. {\cf2\super [22]}

Ecclesiastes 6:9

It is better to be happy with the things you have than to always want more and more. Always wanting more and more is useless. It is like trying to catch the wind. {\cf2\super [29]}

Matthew 27:18

Pilate knew that the people gave Jesus to him because the people were jealous.

Acts 7:9

“These fathers {\cf2\super [128]} became jealous of Joseph (their younger brother). They sold Joseph to be a slave in Egypt. But God was with Joseph.

James 4:5

Do you think the Scriptures {\cf2\super [19]} mean nothing? The Scriptures say, “The Spirit {\cf2\super [20]} that \{God\} made to live in us wants us only for himself.” {\cf2\super [21]}

1 John 3:12

Don’t be like Cain. {\cf2\super [10]} Cain belonged to the Evil One (the devil). Cain killed his brother \{Abel {\cf2\super [11]} \}. But why did Cain kill his brother? Because the things Cain did were evil, and the things his brother \{Abel\} did were good.