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.

And again I saw all the cruel things which are done under the sun; there was the weeping of those who have evil done to them, and they had no comforter: and from the hands of the evil-doers there went out 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.

So my praise was for the dead who have gone to their death, more than for the living who still have life.

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.

Yes, happier than the dead or the living seemed he who has not ever been, who has not seen the evil which 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.

And I saw that the cause of all the work and of everything which is done well was man's envy of his neighbour. This again is to no purpose and a desire for wind.

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

The foolish man, folding his hands, takes the flesh of his body for food.

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.”

One hand full of rest is better than two hands full of trouble and desire for wind.

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

Then I came back, and I saw an example of what is to no purpose 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.

It is one who is by himself, without a second, and without son or brother; but there is no end to all his work, and he has never enough of wealth. For whom, then, am I working and keeping myself from pleasure? This again is to no purpose, and a bitter work.

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 work.

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.

And if one has a fall, the other will give him a hand; but unhappy is the man who is by himself, because he has no helper.

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

So again, if two are sleeping together they are warm, but how may one be warm by himself?

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 two attacked by one would be safe, and three cords twisted together are 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.

A young man who is poor and wise is better than a king who is old and foolish and will not be guided by the wisdom of others.

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.

Because out of a prison the young man comes to be king, though by birth he was only a poor man in the kingdom.

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

I saw all the living under the sun round the young man who was to be ruler in place of the king.

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, of all those whose head he was, but they who come later will have no delight in him. This again is to no purpose and desire for wind.