Ecclesiastes 4

1 Then I turned to consider all the ways people oppress others here on earth. Look at the tears of the oppressed—there's no one to comfort them! Powerful people oppress them, and there's no one to comfort them!

And I turned about, and beheld all the oppressed that are made so under the sun: and, behold, there are the tears of the oppressed, and they have no comforter; and from the hand of their oppressors they suffer violence; and they have no comforter.

2 I congratulated those who were already dead, for the dead are better off than those who are still alive and being oppressed.

Thereupon praised I the dead that are already dead, more than the living who are still alive;

3 But best of all are those who have never existed—they haven't seen the evil things people do to each other here on earth.

And as happier than both of them, him who hath not yet come into being, who hath not seen the evil-doing that is done under the sun.—

4 I observed that every skill in work comes from competition with others. Once again this is hard to understand, like trying to hold on to the elusive wind.

Again, I beheld all the toil, and all the energy in doing, that it is [from] the envy of one man of his neighbor. Also this is vanity and a torture of the spirit.

5 Fools fold their arms and do nothing—so in the end they're all used up.

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

6 It's better to earn a little without stress than a lot with too much stress and chasing after the wind.

Better is a handful of quiet, than both the hands full of toil and torture of spirit.

7 Then I turned to consider something else here on earth that is also frustratingly hard to understand.

Then I turned about, and I saw a vanity under the sun.

8 What about someone who has no family to help him, no brother or son, who works all the time, but isn't satisfied with the money he makes. “Who am I working for?” he asks himself. “Why am I preventing myself from enjoying life?” Such a situation is hard to explain—it's an evil business!

There is one alone, and he hath not a companion; yea, he hath neither son nor brother: yet is there no end to all his toil; his eye also is not satisfied with riches. Yet for whom do I toil, and deprive my soul of good? Also this is vanity, yea, it is a bad employment.

9 Two are better than one, for they can help each other in their work.

Two are better than one; because they will have a good reward for their toil.

10 If one of them falls down, the other can help them up, but how sad it is for someone who falls down and doesn't have anyone to help them up.

For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to the single one that falleth; for he hath no companion to lift him up.

11 In the same way, if two people lie down together, they keep each other warm, but you can't keep yourself warm if you're alone.

Also, if two lie together, then will they become warm; but how can one person alone become warm?

12 Someone fighting against one other person may win, but not if they are fighting against two. A cord made of three strands can't be torn apart quickly.

And if a man could overpower him, the single one, two would stand up against him: and a threefold cord cannot quickly be torn asunder.

13 A poor young person who's wise is better than an old and foolish king who no longer accepts advice.

Better is a poor and a wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth not how to be admonished any more.

14 He may even come out of prison to reign over his kingdom, even though he was born poor.

For out of the prison cometh the one to reign: whereas also in his kingdom the other becometh poor.

15 I observed everyone here on earth following the youth who takes his place.

I have seen all the living who walk under the sun, being with the second child that is to stand up in his stead.

16 He is surrounded by crowds of supporters, but the next generation isn't happy with him. This also illustrates the passing nature of life whose meaning is elusive, like pursuing the wind for understanding.

There was no end to all the people, [belonging] to all that have been before them: they also that come after will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a torture of the spirit.—