Ecclesiastes 4:2-4

Easy-to-Read Version

²I decided that it is better for those who have died than for those who are still alive. ³And it is even better for those who die at birth, because they never saw the evil that is done in this world.^[a]

Why Work So Hard?

⁴Then I thought, “Why do people work so hard?” I saw people try to succeed and be better than other people. They do this because they 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.^[b]

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Footnotes

Ecclesiastes 4:3 in this world Literally, “under the sun.”
Ecclesiastes 4:4 trying to catch the wind Or “It is very troubling to the spirit.” The word for “troubling” can also mean “craving,” and the word for “spirit” can also mean “wind.” Also in verse 16.