Ecclesiastes 4

1 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.

I turned myself to other things, and I saw the oppressions that are done under the sun, and the tears of the innocent, and they had no comforter; and they were not able to resist their violence, being destitute of help from any.

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

And I praised the dead rather than the living:

3 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.—

And I judged him happier than them both, that is not yet born, nor hath seen the evils that are done under the sun.

4 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.

Again I considered all the labours of men, and I remarked that their industries are exposed to the envy of their neighhour: so in this also there is vanity, and fruitless care.

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

The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh, saying:

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

Better is a handful with rest, than both hands full with labour, and vexation of mind.

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

Considering I found also another vanity under the sun:

8 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.

There is but one, and he hath not a second, no child, no brother, and yet he ceaseth not to labour, neither are his eyes satisfied with riches, neither doth he reflect, saying: For whom do I labour, and defraud my soul of good things? in this also is vanity, and a grievous vexation.

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

It is better therefore that two should be together, than one: for they have the advantage of their society:

10 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.

If one fall he shall be supported by the other: woe to him that is alone, for when he falleth, he hath none to lift him up.

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

And if two lie together, they shall warm one another: how shall one alone be warmed?

12 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.

And if a man prevail against one, two shall withstand him: a threefold cord is not easily broken.

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

Better is a child that is poor and wise, than a king that is old and foolish, who knoweth not to foresee for hereafter.

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

Because out of prison and chains sometimes a man cometh forth to a kingdom: and another born king is consumed with poverty.

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

I saw all men living, that walk under the sun with the second young man, who shall rise up in his place.

16 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.—

The number of the people, of all that were before him is infinite: and they that shall come afterwards, shall not rejoice in him: but this also is vanity, and vexation of spirit.