Ecclesiastes 4:7
New International Version
Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:

New Living Translation
I observed yet another example of something meaningless under the sun.

English Standard Version
Again, I saw vanity under the sun:

Berean Standard Bible
Again, I saw futility under the sun.

King James Bible
Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.

New King James Version
Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun:

New American Standard Bible
Then I looked again at futility under the sun.

NASB 1995
Then I looked again at vanity under the sun.

NASB 1977
Then I looked again at vanity under the sun.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then I looked again at vanity under the sun.

Amplified Bible
Then I looked again at vanity under the sun [in one of its peculiar forms].

Christian Standard Bible
Again, I saw futility under the sun:

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Again, I saw futility under the sun:

American Standard Version
Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And I turned and I saw futility under the sun

Brenton Septuagint Translation
So I returned, and saw vanity under the sun.

Contemporary English Version
Once again I saw that nothing on earth makes sense.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Considering I found also another vanity under the sun:

English Revised Version
Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Next, I turned to look at something pointless under the sun:

Good News Translation
I have noticed something else in life that is useless.

International Standard Version
Then I turned to re-examine something else that is pointless on earth:

JPS Tanakh 1917
Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

Literal Standard Version
And I have turned, and I see a vain thing under the sun:

Majority Standard Bible
Again, I saw futility under the sun.

New American Bible
Again I saw this vanity under the sun:

NET Bible
So I again considered another futile thing on earth:

New Revised Standard Version
Again, I saw vanity under the sun:

New Heart English Bible
Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.

World English Bible
Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

Young's Literal Translation
And I have turned, and I see a vain thing under the sun:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Evil of Oppression
6Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and pursuit of the wind. 7Again, I saw futility under the sun. 8There is a man all alone, without even a son or brother. And though there is no end to his labor, his eyes are still not content with his wealth: “For whom do I toil and bereave my soul of enjoyment?” This too is futile—a miserable task.…

Cross References
Ecclesiastes 4:6
Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and pursuit of the wind.

Ecclesiastes 4:8
There is a man all alone, without even a son or brother. And though there is no end to his labor, his eyes are still not content with his wealth: "For whom do I toil and bereave my soul of enjoyment?" This too is futile--a miserable task.


Treasury of Scripture

Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.

Psalm 78:33
Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.

Zechariah 1:6
But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they returned and said, Like as the LORD of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us.

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Example Meaningless Purpose Something Sun Turned Vain Vanity
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Example Meaningless Purpose Something Sun Turned Vain Vanity
Ecclesiastes 4
1. vanity is increased unto men by oppression
4. by envy
5. by idleness
7. by covetousness
9. by solitariness
13. by willfulness














(7) Then I returned.--The vanity of toil is especially apparent in the case of a solitary man. It is possible, as has been suggested (see Ecclesiastes 2:18), that this may have been the writer's own case. The following verses, which speak of the advantages of friendship and unity, are of a more cheerful tone than the rest of the book.

Verses 7-12. - Thirdly, avarice causes isolation and a sense of insecurity, and brings no satisfaction. Verse 7. - Then I returned. Another reflection serves to confirm the uselessness of human efforts. The vanity under the sun is now avarice, with the evils that accompany it.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Again,
וְשַׁ֧בְתִּי (wə·šaḇ·tî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

I
אֲנִ֛י (’ă·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

saw
וָאֶרְאֶ֥ה (wā·’er·’eh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7200: To see

futility
הֶ֖בֶל (he·ḇel)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1892: Emptiness, vanity, transitory, unsatisfactory

under
תַּ֥חַת (ta·ḥaṯ)
Preposition
Strong's 8478: The bottom, below, in lieu of

the sun.
הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ (haš·šā·meš)
Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 8121: The sun, the east, a ray, a notched battlement


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OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 4:7 Then I returned and saw vanity under (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.)
Ecclesiastes 4:6
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