Ecclesiastes 4
1 So I turned and considered all the oppressions that are wrought vnder the sunne, and beholde the teares of the oppressed, and none comforteth them: and lo, the strength is of the hand of them that oppresse them, and none comforteth them.
Once again I thought about all the oppression that is done under the sun. And behold, the tears of oppressed people, and they had no one to comfort them! Power was in the hand of their oppressors, and there was no one to comfort them!
2 Wherefore I praysed the dead which now are dead, aboue the liuing, which are yet aliue.
So I considered those who are already dead more fortunate than the living, who are still alive.
3 And I count him better then them both, which hath not yet bin: for he hath not seene the euill workes which are wrought vnder the sunne.
However, more fortunate than both of them is the one who has not yet lived, the one who has not seen any of the evil acts that are done under the sun.
4 Also I beheld all trauaile, and all perfection of workes that this is ye enuie of a man against his neighbour: this also is vanitie and vexation of spirit.
Then I saw that every act of labor and every skillful work became the envy of one's neighbor. This also is vapor and an attempt to shepherd the wind.
5 The foole foldeth his hands, and eateth vp his owne flesh.
The fool folds his hands and does not work, so his food is his own flesh.
6 Better is an handfull with quietnesse, then two handfuls with labour and vexation of spirit.
But better is a handful of profit with quiet work than two handfuls with the work that tries to shepherd the wind.
7 Againe I returned, and sawe vanitie vnder the sunne.
Then I thought again about more futility, more vanishing vapor under the sun.
8 There is one alone, and there is not a second, which hath neither sonne nor brother, yet is there none end of all his trauaile, neither can his eye be satisfied with riches: neither doeth he thinke, For whome doe I trauaile and defraude my soule of pleasure? this also is vanitie, and this is an euill trauaile.
There is the kind of man who is alone. He does not have anyone, no son or brother. There is no end to all his work, and his eyes are not satisfied with gaining wealth. He wonders, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vapor, a bad situation.
9 Two are better then one: for they haue better wages for their labour.
Two people work better than one; together they can earn a good pay for their labor.
10 For if they fal, the one wil lift vp his felow: but wo vnto him that is alone: for he falleth, and there is not a second to lift him vp.
For if one falls, the other can lift up his friend. However, sorrow follows the one who is alone when he falls if there is no one to lift him up.
11 Also if two sleepe together, then shall they haue heate: but to one how should there be heate?
If two lie down together, they can be warm, but how can one be warm alone?
12 And if one ouercome him, two shall stand against him: and a threefolde coard is not easily broken.
One man alone can be overpowered, but two can withstand an attack, and a three-strand rope is not quickly broken.
13 Better is a poore and wise childe, then an olde and foolish King, which will no more be admonished.
It is better to be a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to listen to warnings.
14 For out of the prison he commeth forth to reigne: when as he that is borne in his kingdome, is made poore.
This is true even if the young man becomes king from prison, or even if he was born poor in his kingdom.
15 I behelde all the liuing, which walke vnder the sunne, with the second childe, which shall stand vp in his place.
I saw everyone who was alive and was walking around under the sun, along with a youth who was to rise up to take his place.
16 There is none ende of all the people, nor of all that were before them, and they that come after, shall not reioyce in him: surely this is also vanitie and vexation of spirit.
There is no end to all the people who want to obey the new king, but later many of them will no longer praise him. Surely this situation is vapor and an attempt to shepherd the wind.
