Ecclesiastes 4

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.

And again I saw all the cruel things which are done under the sun; there was the weeping of those who have evil done to them, and they had no comforter: and from the hands of the evil-doers there went out power, but they had no comforter.

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

So my praise was for the dead who have gone to their death, more than for the living who still have life.

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

Yes, happier than the dead or the living seemed he who has not ever been, who has not seen the evil which 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.

And I saw that the cause of all the work and of everything which is done well was man's envy of his neighbour. This again is to no purpose and a desire for wind.

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

The foolish man, folding his hands, takes the flesh of his body for food.

6 Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and pursuit of the wind.

One hand full of rest is better than two hands full of trouble and desire for wind.

7 Again, I saw futility under the sun.

Then I came back, and I saw an example of what is to no purpose under the sun.

8 There is a man all alone, without even a son or brother. And though there is no end to his labor, his eyes are still not content with his wealth: “For whom do I toil and bereave my soul of enjoyment?” This too is futile—a miserable task.

It is one who is by himself, without a second, and without son or brother; but there is no end to all his work, and he has never enough of wealth. For whom, then, am I working and keeping myself from pleasure? This again is to no purpose, and a bitter work.

9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their work.

10 For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up!

And if one has a fall, the other will give him a hand; but unhappy is the man who is by himself, because he has no helper.

11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone?

So again, if two are sleeping together they are warm, but how may one be warm by himself?

12 And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

And two attacked by one would be safe, and three cords twisted together are not quickly broken.

13 Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take a warning.

A young man who is poor and wise is better than a king who is old and foolish and will not be guided by the wisdom of others.

14 For the youth has come from the prison to the kingship, though he was born poor in his own kingdom.

Because out of a prison the young man comes to be king, though by birth he was only a poor man in the kingdom.

15 I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed this second one, the youth who succeeded the king.

I saw all the living under the sun round the young man who was to be ruler in place of the king.

16 There is no limit to all the people who were before them. Yet the successor will not be celebrated by those who come even later. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

There was no end of all the people, of all those whose head he was, but they who come later will have no delight in him. This again is to no purpose and desire for wind.