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 I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors was power, and they had no comforter.

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

Then I praised the dead who are already dead more than the living who are yet 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.

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.

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 all labour, and all success of work, that it is man's jealousy of his neighbour. This also is vanity and pursuit of the wind.

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

The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.

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

Better is a handful with quietness, than both hands full with labour and pursuit of the wind.

7 Again, I saw futility under the sun.

And I returned and saw vanity 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.

There is one [alone] and without a second; also he hath neither son nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour, neither is his eye satisfied with riches, and [he saith not], For whom then am I labouring, and depriving my soul of good? This also is vanity and a grievous occupation.

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 labour.

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

For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, and who hath not another to lift him up!

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

Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one alone be warm?

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

And if a [man] overpower the one, the two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is 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.

Better is a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth no more how to be admonished.

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

For out of the prison-house he came forth to reign, although he was born poor in his 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 that walk under the sun, with the child, the second, that should stand up in his stead.

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 is] no end of all the people, of all that stood before them; those however that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after the wind.