Ecclesiastes 4
1 So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.
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 Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.
So I admired the dead, who had already died, above the living, who are still alive.
3 Yea, better is he than either of them, which has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is 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 considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
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 fool folds his hands together, and eats his own flesh.
The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.
6 Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.
Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and pursuit of the wind.
7 Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.
Again, I saw futility under the sun.
8 There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he has neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither says he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.
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 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.
10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falls; for he has not another to help 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 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?
Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone?
12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
13 Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.
Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take a warning.
14 For out of prison he comes to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becomes poor.
For the youth has come from the prison to the kingship, though he was born poor in his own kingdom.
15 I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his position.
I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed this second one, the youth who succeeded the king.
16 There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of 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.
