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.
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.
2 Thereupon praised I the dead that are already dead, more than the living who are still alive;
Wherefore I praysed the dead which now are dead, aboue the liuing, which are yet aliue.
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 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.
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.
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.
5 The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
The foole foldeth his hands, and eateth vp his owne flesh.
6 Better is a handful of quiet, than both the hands full of toil and torture of spirit.
Better is an handfull with quietnesse, then two handfuls with labour and vexation of spirit.
7 Then I turned about, and I saw a vanity under the sun.
Againe I returned, and sawe vanitie vnder the sunne.
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 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.
9 Two are better than one; because they will have a good reward for their toil.
Two are better then one: for they haue better wages for their labour.
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.
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.
11 Also, if two lie together, then will they become warm; but how can one person alone become warm?
Also if two sleepe together, then shall they haue heate: but to one how should there be heate?
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 one ouercome him, two shall stand against him: and a threefolde coard 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 poore and wise childe, then an olde and foolish King, which will no more be admonished.
14 For out of the prison cometh the one to reign: whereas also in his kingdom the other becometh poor.
For out of the prison he commeth forth to reigne: when as he that is borne in his kingdome, is made poore.
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 behelde all the liuing, which walke vnder the sunne, with the second childe, which shall stand vp 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.—
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.
