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.
Then I turned and saw all the oppressions which take place under the sun; and, behold, there were the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; and from the hand of their oppressors there was violence, and they had no comforter.
2 So I admired the dead, who had already died, above the living, who are still alive.
Therefore I praised the dead, who have been long ago 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.
Yea, better than both of them is he who hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work 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 all labor, and all success in work, that for this a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity, and striving after 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 hand full of quietness, than both hands full of weariness and striving after wind.
7 Again, I saw futility under the sun.
Then I turned and saw other 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 who is alone, and no one with him; yea, he hath neither son nor brother; yet is there no end to all his labor, and his eye is not satisfied with riches. “For whom, then [[saith he]], do I labor and deprive myself of good?” This also is vanity; yea, it is an evil thing!
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 labor.
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 his fellow up; but woe to him who is alone when he falleth, and hath not another to help 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 heat; but how can one be warm alone?
12 And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
And if an enemy prevail against one, 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 child poor but wise, than a king old and foolish, who will no more 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 prison cometh forth such a one to reign; for in his own kingdom he was born a poor man.
15 I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed this second one, the youth who succeeded the king.
I saw that all the living, who walk under the sun, were with the child who stood 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 was no end to all the people before whom he went forth; yet they that come afterwards shall not rejoice in him. This also is vanity, and striving after wind.
