Ecclesiastes 4
1 I turned myself to other things, and I saw the false accusations which are carried out under the sun, and the tears of the innocent, and that there was no one to console them; and that they were not able to withstand their violence, being destitute of all help.
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.
2 And so, I praised the dead more than the living.
So I admired the dead, who had already died, above the living, who are still alive.
3 And happier than both of these, I judged him to be, who has not yet been born, and who has not yet seen the evils which are done under the sun.
But better than both is he who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.
4 Again, I was contemplating all the labors of men. And I took notice that their endeavors are open to the envy of their neighbor. And so, in this, too, there is emptiness and superfluous anxiety.
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.
5 The foolish man folds his hands together, and he consumes his own flesh, saying:
The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.
6 “A handful with rest is better than both hands filled with labors and with affliction of the soul.”
Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and pursuit of the wind.
7 While considering this, I also discovered another vanity under the sun.
Again, I saw futility under the sun.
8 He is one, and he does not have a second: no son, no brother. And yet he does not cease to labor, nor are his eyes satisfied with wealth, nor does he reflect, saying: “For whom do I labor and cheat my soul of good things?” In this, too, is emptiness and a most burdensome affliction.
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.
9 Therefore, it is better for two to be together, than for one to be alone. For they have the advantage of their companionship.
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.
10 If one falls, he shall be supported by the other. Woe to one who is alone. For when he falls, he has no one to lift him up.
For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up!
11 And if two are sleeping, they warm one another. How can one person alone be warmed?
Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone?
12 And if a man can prevail against one, two may withstand him, and a threefold cord is broken with difficulty.
And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
13 Better is a boy, poor and wise, than a king, old and foolish, who does not know to look ahead for the sake of posterity.
Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take a warning.
14 For sometimes, one goes forth from prison and chains, to a kingdom, while another, born to kingly power, is consumed by need.
For the youth has come from the prison to the kingship, though he was born poor in his own kingdom.
15 I saw all the living who are walking under the sun, and I saw the next generation, who shall rise up in their places.
I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed this second one, the youth who succeeded the king.
16 The number of people, out of all who existed before these, is boundless. And those who will exist afterwards shall not rejoice in them. But this, too, is emptiness and an affliction of the spirit.
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.
