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.
I turned myself to other things, and I saw the oppressions that are done under the sun, and the tears of the innocent, and they had no comforter; and they were not able to resist their violence, being destitute of help from any.
2 So I admired the dead, who had already died, above the living, who are still alive.
And I praised the dead rather than the living:
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 I judged him happier than them both, that is not yet born, nor hath seen the evils that are 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.
Again I considered all the labours of men, and I remarked that their industries are exposed to the envy of their neighhour: so in this also there is vanity, and fruitless care.
5 The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.
The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh, saying:
6 Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and pursuit of the wind.
Better is a handful with rest, than both hands full with labour, and vexation of mind.
7 Again, I saw futility under the sun.
Considering I found also another 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 but one, and he hath not a second, no child, no brother, and yet he ceaseth not to labour, neither are his eyes satisfied with riches, neither doth he reflect, saying: For whom do I labour, and defraud my soul of good things? in this also is vanity, and a grievous vexation.
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.
It is better therefore that two should be together, than one: for they have the advantage of their society:
10 For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up!
If one fall he shall be supported by the other: woe to him that is alone, for when he falleth, he hath none to lift him up.
11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone?
And if two lie together, they shall warm one another: how shall one alone be warmed?
12 And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
And if a man prevail against one, two shall withstand him: a threefold cord is not easily 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 child that is poor and wise, than a king that is old and foolish, who knoweth not to foresee for hereafter.
14 For the youth has come from the prison to the kingship, though he was born poor in his own kingdom.
Because out of prison and chains sometimes a man cometh forth to a kingdom: and another born king is consumed with poverty.
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 men living, that walk under the sun with the second young man, who shall rise up in his place.
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.
The number of the people, of all that were before him is infinite: and they that shall come afterwards, shall not rejoice in him: but this also is vanity, and vexation of spirit.
