Ecclesiastes 4:2

And I praised more dead men than living men; (And I praised the dead more than the living;)

Wycliffe Modern Spelling

In The King James Version

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

In Context

1I turned me to other things, and I saw false challenges, that be done under the sun, (or and I saw much oppression, that is done under the sun), and the tears of the guiltless, and (that) no man (was a) comforter; and that they destitute, either forsaken, of the help of all men, may not against-stand the violence of them.

3and I deemed him, that was not born yet, and saw not the evils that be done under the sun, to be more blessed than ever either. (and I judged him, who was not yet born, and saw not the evils that be done under the sun, to be more blessed than either the living or the dead.)

Read all of Ecclesiastes 4

Cross References

Job 3:11Why was not I dead in the womb? why went I out of the womb, and perished not anon? (Why was I not dead in the womb? why did I not go out of the womb, and perish at once?)

Job 3:21Which abide death, and it cometh not; as men that dig out treasure, (They who wait for death, but it cometh not; like men who dig out treasure,)

Ecclesiastes 2:17And therefore it annoyed me of my life, seeing that all things under [the] sun be evil, and that all things be vanity and torment of the spirit. (And so it vexed me to live, seeing that all things under the sun be troublesome, and that everything is empty and futile, like chasing the wind.)

Ecclesiastes 9:4No man there is, that liveth ever, and that hath trust of this thing; better is a quick dog than a dead lion. (But for everyone who liveth, there is still hope; yea, a living dog is better than a dead lion.)

Matthew Henry on Ecclesiastes 4:2-4

The Prevalence of Oppression. 1 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. 2 Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive. 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. Solomon had a large soul ( 1 Kings… Read the whole commentary →

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