Ecclesiastes 4

1 And I returned I and I saw all the oppression which [were being] done under the sun and there! - [the] tear[s] of the oppressed and not [belonged] to them a comforter and [was] from [the] hand of oppressors their power and there not [belonged] to them a comforter.

I thought some more about all the suffering that people are caused to experience on the earth [MTY]. I saw the tears of people who were (oppressed/treated cruelly) and who had no one to comfort/encourage them. Those who oppressed them had power, and there was absolutely no one who was able to comfort those who were being oppressed.

2 And I congratulated I the dead who already they had died more than the living who they [were] alive still.

[So] I thought that those who are already dead are more fortunate than those who are still alive.

3 And [is] good more than both of them [one] who still not he has been [one] who not he has seen the activity evil which it is done under the sun.

And those who have not been born yet are more fortunate than those who are still alive and those who have died, [because] those who have not been born have not seen all the evil things that are done on the earth.

4 And I considered I all [the] toil and all [the] skill of the work that it [is] envy of everyone from neighbor his also this [is] futility and striving of wind.

I also thought about all the hard work that people do and the skills that they have. And I thought about how they compete with each other because they are envious of others, [and I concluded that] this also is something that is not accomplishing anything useful, [like] chasing the wind.

5 The fool [is] folding hands his and [is] eating own flesh his.

Foolish people [refuse to work]; they sit idly, with their hands folded, [and do not work]. [So] they ruin themselves.

6 [is] good Fullness of hand of quietness more than [the] fullness of two hands toil and striving of wind.

[So I say], “It is better to be content with not having much money, than to work very hard and try to get a lot of money, which is [as useless as] chasing the wind.”

7 And I returned I and I saw futility under the sun.

I thought about something else that happens on the earth [MTY] that seems senseless.

8 There [was] one [person] and there not [was] a second also a son and a brother not [belonged] to him and there not [was] an end to all toil his also (eye his *Q(K)*) not it was satisfied wealth and for whom? - [am] I a laborer and depriving self my from good also this [is] futility and [is] a task of evil it.

There are men who live alone; they do not have a wife or children or any brothers living with them; every day they work [very hard], without stopping, to get a lot of money, but they are never satisfied with the things that they have. They never ask [themselves], “Why am I working very hard to earn more money? Why am I not doing things that would cause me to be happy?” What they do also seems senseless.

9 [are] good Two [people] more than one that there for them [is] a reward good for toil their.

Having someone [work] with you is better than being by yourself [all the time]. If you have a friend, he can help you to do your work.

10 That except they will fall down the one he will raise companion his and woe! to him the one who will fall down and there not [is] a second [person] to raise him.

If you fall down, he can help you get up again. But if you fall down when you are alone, it will be difficult for you, because there will be no one to help you stand up.

11 Also if they will lie down two [people] and it will be warm to them and to one [person] how? will it be warm.

Similarly, if two people sleep together, they can keep each other warm. But someone who sleeps alone will certainly not [RHQ] be warm.

12 And though someone will overpower him the one [person] the two [people] they will stand before him and the thread threefold not quickly it will be torn apart.

Someone who is alone can easily be attacked and defeated by another person, but two people can help each other and (resist/defend themselves against) someone who attacks them. [Three people can defend themselves even more easily], [like] a rope that is made from three cords is harder to break [than a rope made from two cords].

13 [is] good A youth poor and wise more than a king old and a fool who not he knows to be warned still.

A young man who is poor but wise is a better person than a foolish old king who refuses to pay attention when people try to give him good advice.

14 For from [the] house of the prisoners he came out to become king for also in own kingdom his he had been born a poor [person].

It is possible for a young man like that to succeed and some day become king, even if his parents were poor or even if he was in prison some of the time.

15 I saw all the living who are walking about under the sun with the youth second who he will arise in place of him.

But then some other young man becomes king, and everyone (starts to support/is pleased with) him.

16 There not [is] an end to all the people to all [those] whom he was before them also the subsequent [people] not they will rejoice in him for also this [is] futility and a striving of wind.

Large crowds of people crowd around him. But after a few years, they will reject him, [too]. So it is all senseless, [like] chasing after the wind.