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.
So I looked again and saw all the cruel treatment happening in the world: I saw the tears of those being oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them. Their oppressors had all the power, but even they had no real comfort.
The writer is observing the painful reality that both those who suffer injustice and those who cause it are ultimately without true comfort in this world.
📚 Historical Context
Ecclesiastes was written in ancient Israel during a period of frequent oppression and injustice, often under foreign rulers or internal tyrants, as the nation dealt with invasions and social inequalities. The book is traditionally attributed to King Solomon, who reflects on the meaninglessness of life "under the sun," observing human suffering and the lack of comfort for the vulnerable. In this verse, the author pauses to contemplate the tears of the oppressed and the unchecked power of their oppressors, highlighting a common reality in the ancient Near East.
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