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Ecclesiastes 4:2–3

And I ythought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive. But zbetter than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.

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Ecclesiastes 4:2–3 — The New International Version (NIV)

And I declared that the dead,

who had already died,

are happier than the living,

who are still alive.

But better than both

is the one who has never been born,

who has not seen the evil

that is done under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 4:2–3 — King James Version (KJV 1900)

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.

Ecclesiastes 4:2–3 — New Living Translation (NLT)

So I concluded that the dead are better off than the living. But most fortunate of all are those who are not yet born. For they have not seen all the evil that is done under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 4:2–3 — The New King James Version (NKJV)

Therefore I praised the dead who were already dead,

More than the living who are still alive.

Yet, better than both is he who has never existed,

Who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 4:2–3 — New Century Version (NCV)

I decided that the dead

are better off than the living.

But those who have never been born

are better off still;

they have not seen the evil

that is done here on earth.

Ecclesiastes 4:2–3 — American Standard Version (ASV)

Wherefore I praised the dead that have been long dead more than the living that are yet alive; yea, better than them both did I esteem him that hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 4:2–3 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)

Then I praised the dead who are already dead more than the living who are yet alive; and more fortunate than both is he who hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 4:2–3 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

I congratulate the dead, who have already died, rather than the living, who still have to carry on. But the person who hasn’t been born yet is better off than both of them. He hasn’t seen the evil that is done under the sun. 

Ecclesiastes 4:2–3 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

So I admired the dead, who have already died, more than the living, who are still alive. But better than either of them is the one who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 4:2–3 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

And I thought the dead, who have already died, more fortunate than the living, who are still alive; but better than both is the one who has not yet been, and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 4:2–3 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)

So I deemed the dead who have already died

more fortunate than the living who are still alive.

But better off than both of them is the one who has not yet been born

and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 4:2–3 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)

Then I announced that those

who have already died

are happier than those

who are still alive.

But someone who hasn’t been born yet

is better off than the dead or the living.

That’s because he hasn’t seen the evil things

that are done on earth.

Ecclesiastes 4:2–3 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)

So I congratulated the dead who are already dead more than the living who are still living.

But better off than both of them is the one who has never existed, who has never seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.


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