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21 Insult has broken my heart, and I despair;
    I looked for compassion, but there was none,(A)
    for comforters, but found none.

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21 They put gall in my food
    and gave me vinegar(A) for my thirst.(B)

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Chapter 4

Vanity of Toil. Again I saw all the oppressions that take place under the sun: the tears of the victims with none to comfort[a] them! From the hand of their oppressors comes violence, and there is none to comfort them!(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 4:1 Oppressions…victims…none to comfort: the author obviously feels deeply about the plight of the oppressed, but he seems to feel powerless to do anything. The repetition of “none to comfort” is purposeful, and emphatic.

Oppression, Toil, Friendlessness

Again I looked and saw all the oppression(A) that was taking place under the sun:

I saw the tears of the oppressed—
    and they have no comforter;
power was on the side of their oppressors—
    and they have no comforter.(B)

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17 If you do not listen to this in your pride,
    I will weep many tears in secret;
My eyes will run with tears
    for the Lord’s flock, led away to exile.(A)

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17 If you do not listen,(A)
    I will weep in secret
    because of your pride;
my eyes will weep bitterly,
    overflowing with tears,(B)
    because the Lord’s flock(C) will be taken captive.(D)

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17 Speak to them this word:

Let my eyes stream with tears
    night and day, without rest,
Over the great destruction which overwhelms
    the virgin daughter of my people,
    over her incurable wound.(A)

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17 “Speak this word to them:

“‘Let my eyes overflow with tears(A)
    night and day without ceasing;
for the Virgin(B) Daughter, my people,
    has suffered a grievous wound,
    a crushing blow.(C)

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Until everyone who sees you
    runs from you saying,
“Nineveh is destroyed;
    who can pity her?
Where can I find
    any to console you?”

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All who see you will flee(A) from you and say,
    ‘Nineveh(B) is in ruins(C)—who will mourn for her?’(D)
    Where can I find anyone to comfort(E) you?”

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