Ecclesiastes 4

1 And I have turned, and I see all the oppressions that are done under the sun, and behold, the tear of the oppressed, and they have no comforter; and at the hand of their oppressors [is] power, and they have no comforter.

Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold, the tears of those who were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.

2 And I am praising the dead who have already died above the living who are yet alive.

Therefore I praised the dead who have been long dead more than the living who are yet alive.

3 And better than both of them [is] he who has not yet been, in that he has not seen the evil work that has been done under the sun.

Yes, better than them both is him who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

4 And I have seen all the labor, and all the benefit of the work, because for it a man is the envy of his neighbor. Even this [is] vanity and distress of spirit.

Then I saw all the labor and achievement that is the envy of a man’s neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

5 The fool is clasping his hands, and eating his own flesh:

The fool folds his hands together and ruins himself.

6 “Better [is] a handful [with] quietness, than two handfuls [with] labor and distress of spirit.”

Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and chasing after wind.

7 And I have turned, and I see a vain thing under the sun:

Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

8 There is one, and there is not a second; even son or brother he has not, and there is no end to all his labor! His eye also is not satisfied with riches, and [he does not say], “For whom am I laboring and bereaving my soul of good?” This also is vanity, it is a sad travail.

There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. “For whom then do I labor and deprive my soul of enjoyment?” This also is vanity. Yes, it is a miserable business.

9 The two [are] better than the one, in that they have a good reward by their labor.

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.

10 For if they fall, the one raises up his companion, but woe to the one who falls and there is not a second to raise him up!

For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and doesn’t have another to lift him up.

11 Also, if two lie down, then they have heat, but how has one heat?

Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one keep warm alone?

12 And if the one strengthens himself, the two stand against him; and the threefold cord is not quickly broken.

If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

13 Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who has not known to be warned anymore.

Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who doesn’t know how to receive admonition any more.

14 For from a house of prisoners he has come out to reign, for even in his own kingdom he has been poor.

For out of prison he came out to be king; yes, even in his kingdom he was born poor.

15 I have seen all the living, who are walking under the sun, with the second youth who stands in his place;

I saw all the living who walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the other, who succeeded him.

16 there is no end to all the people, to all who were before them; also, the latter do not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and distress of spirit.

There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was—yet those who come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.