Ecclesiastes 4:3

Berean Standard Bible (BSB)

But better than both is he who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.

In context

1 Again I looked, and I considered all the oppression taking place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; the power lay in the hands of their oppressors, and there was no comforter.

2 So I admired the dead, who had already died, above the living, who are still alive.

3 But better than both is he who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.

4 I saw that all labor and success spring from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

5 The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.

Read the whole of Ecclesiastes 4

Ecclesiastes 4:3 in every translation

BSB Berean Standard Bible: But better than both is he who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.
KJV King James Version: 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.
WEB World English Bible: Yes, better than them both is him who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
ASV American Standard Version: 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.
YLT Young's Literal Translation: And better than both of them [is] he who hath not yet been, in that he hath not seen the evil work that hath been done under the sun.
DBY Darby Translation: 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.
WBS Webster Bible: Yes, better is he than both they, who hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.