"Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive." — Ecclesiastes 4:2

Ecclesiastes 4:2 · KJV

“Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.”

— Ecclesiastes 4:2

So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of {such as were} oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors {there was} power; but they had no comforter. {side: Heb. hand}

Verse 3

Yea, better {is he} than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 4 — Context

Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.

Yea, better {is he} than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

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. {every...: Heb. all the rightness of work} {for this...: Heb. this is the envy of a man from his neighbour}

Cross References

Job 3:11-26

Why died I not from the womb? {why} did I {not} give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?

Ecclesiastes 2:17

Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun {is} grievous unto me: for all {is} vanity and vexation of spirit.

Ecclesiastes 9:4-6

For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.