Ecclesiastes 4

1 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.

Then I returned and saw 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.

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

Wherefore I praised the dead that have been long dead more than the living that are yet alive;

3 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.

yea, better than them both [did I esteem] him that hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

4 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.

Then I saw all labor and every skilful work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

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

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

6 [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.”

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

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

Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

8 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.

There is one that is alone, and he hath not a second; yea, he hath neither son nor brother; yet is there no end of all his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with riches. For whom then, [saith he], do I labor, and deprive my soul of good? This also is vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.

9 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.

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

10 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.

For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, and hath not another to lift him up.

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

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

12 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].

And if a man prevail against him that is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

13 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.

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

14 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.

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

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

I saw all the living that walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the second, that stood up in his stead.

16 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.

There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was: yet they that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.