Ecclesiastes 4

1 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.

And I have turned, and I see all the oppressions that are done under the sun, and behold, the tear of the oppressed, and they have no comforter; and at the hand of their oppressors [is] power, and they have no comforter.

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

And I am praising the dead who have already died above the living who are yet alive.

3 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.

And better than both of them [is] he who has not yet been, in that he has not seen the evil work that has been done under the sun.

4 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.

And I have seen all the labor, and all the benefit of the work, because for it a man is the envy of his neighbor. Even this [is] vanity and distress of spirit.

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

The fool is clasping his hands, and eating his own flesh:

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

“Better [is] a handful [with] quietness, than two handfuls [with] labor and distress of spirit.”

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

And I have turned, and I see a vain thing under the sun:

8 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.

There is one, and there is not a second; even son or brother he has not, and there is no end to all his labor! His eye also is not satisfied with riches, and [he does not say], “For whom am I laboring and bereaving my soul of good?” This also is vanity, it is a sad travail.

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

The two [are] better than the one, in that they have a good reward by their labor.

10 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.

For if they fall, the one raises up his companion, but woe to the one who falls and there is not a second to raise him up!

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

Also, if two lie down, then they have heat, but how has one heat?

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

And if the one strengthens himself, the two stand against him; and the threefold cord is not quickly broken.

13 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.

Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who has not known to be warned anymore.

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

For from a house of prisoners he has come out to reign, for even in his own kingdom he has been poor.

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

I have seen all the living, who are walking under the sun, with the second youth who stands in his place;

16 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.

there is no end to all the people, to all who were before them; also, the latter do not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and distress of spirit.