Ecclesiastes 4:2
Strong's Lexicon
So I
אֲנִ֛י (’ă·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's Hebrew 589: 1) I (first pers. sing. -usually used for emphasis)

אֶת־ (’eṯ-)
Direct object marker
Strong's Hebrew 853: 1) sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

admired
וְשַׁבֵּ֧חַ (wə·šab·bê·aḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Infinitive absolute
Strong's Hebrew 7623: 1) to soothe, still, stroke 1a) (Piel) to soothe, still 1b) (Hiphil) stilling (participle) 2) to laud, praise, commend 2a) (Piel) 2a1) to laud, praise (God) 2a2) to commend, congratulate (the dead) 2b) (Hithpael) to boast

the dead,
הַמֵּתִ֖ים (ham·mê·ṯîm)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew 4191: 1) to die, kill, have one executed 1a)(Qal) 1a1) to die 1a2) to die (as penalty), be put to death 1a3) to die, perish (of a nation) 1a4) to die prematurely (by neglect of wise moral conduct) 1b) (Polel) to kill, put to death, dispatch 1c) (Hiphil) to kill, put to death 1d) (Hophal) 1d1) to be killed, be put to death 1d1a) to die prematurely

who had already
שֶׁכְּבָ֣ר (šek·kə·ḇār)
Pronoun - relative | Adverb
Strong's Hebrew 3528: 1) already, long ago, a great while

died,
מֵ֑תוּ (mê·ṯū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's Hebrew 4191: 1) to die, kill, have one executed 1a)(Qal) 1a1) to die 1a2) to die (as penalty), be put to death 1a3) to die, perish (of a nation) 1a4) to die prematurely (by neglect of wise moral conduct) 1b) (Polel) to kill, put to death, dispatch 1c) (Hiphil) to kill, put to death 1d) (Hophal) 1d1) to be killed, be put to death 1d1a) to die prematurely

above
מִן־ (min-)
Preposition
Strong's Hebrew 4480: prep 1) from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than 1a) from (expressing separation), off, on the side of 1b) out of 1b1) (with verbs of proceeding, removing, expelling) 1b2) (of material from which something is made) 1b3) (of source or origin) 1c) out of, some of, from (partitively) 1d) from, since, after (of time) 1e) than, more than (in comparison) 1f) from...even to, both...and, either...or 1g) than, more than, too much for (in comparisons) 1h) from, on account of, through, because (with infinitive) conj 2) that

the living,
הַ֣חַיִּ֔ים (ha·ḥay·yîm)
Article | Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew 2416: adj 1) living, alive 1a) green (of vegetation) 1b) flowing, fresh (of water) 1c) lively, active (of man) 1d) reviving (of the springtime) n m 2) relatives 3) life (abstract emphatic) 3a) life 3b) sustenance, maintenance n f 4) living thing, animal 4a) animal 4b) life 4c) appetite 4d) revival, renewal 5) community

who
אֲשֶׁ֛ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's Hebrew 834: 1) (relative part.) 1a) which, who 1b) that which 2) (conj) 2a) that (in obj clause) 2b) when 2c) since 2d) as 2e) conditional if

הֵ֥מָּה (hêm·māh)
Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew 1992: 1) they, these, the same, who

are still
עֲדֶֽנָה׃ (‘ă·ḏe·nāh)
Adverb | third person feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew 5728: 1) hitherto, still, yet

alive.
חַיִּ֖ים (ḥay·yîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew 2416: adj 1) living, alive 1a) green (of vegetation) 1b) flowing, fresh (of water) 1c) lively, active (of man) 1d) reviving (of the springtime) n m 2) relatives 3) life (abstract emphatic) 3a) life 3b) sustenance, maintenance n f 4) living thing, animal 4a) animal 4b) life 4c) appetite 4d) revival, renewal 5) community

Parallel Strong's
Berean Study Bible
So I admired the dead, who had already died, above the living, who are still alive.

Young's Literal Translation
And I am praising the dead{.htm" title="{"> who have already died above the living who are yet alive.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So I admired the dead, who have already died, more than the living, who are still alive.

New American Standard Bible
So I congratulated the dead who are already dead more than the living who are still living.

King James Bible
Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.
Parallel Verses
New International Version
And I declared that the dead, who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive.

New Living Translation
So I concluded that the dead are better off than the living.

English Standard Version
And I thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive.

New American Standard Bible
So I congratulated the dead who are already dead more than the living who are still living.

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

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So I admired the dead, who have already died, more than the living, who are still alive.

International Standard Version
So I commended the dead who had already died as being happier than the living who are still alive.

NET Bible
So I considered those who are dead and gone more fortunate than those who are still alive.

American Standard Version
Wherefore I praised the dead that have been long dead more than the living that are yet alive;

English Revised Version
Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive;

Young's Literal Translation
And I am praising the dead who have already died above the living who are yet alive.
















Cross References
Job 3:11
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 7:1
A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.

Jeremiah 22:10
Weep ye not for the dead, neither bemoan him: but weep sore for him that goeth away: for he shall return no more, nor see his native country.

Ecclesiastes 1:1
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

Ecclesiastes 4:1
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.

Ecclesiastes 3:22
Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

Ecclesiastes 3:21
Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

Ecclesiastes 4:3
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 4:4
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.

Ecclesiastes 4:5
The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
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