Ecclesiastes 4

1 Once again I thought about all the oppression that is done under the sun. And behold, the tears of oppressed people, and they had no one to comfort them! Power was in the hand of their oppressors, and there was no one to comfort them!

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.

2 So I considered those who are already dead more fortunate than the living, who are still alive.

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

3 However, more fortunate than both of them is the one who has not yet lived, the one who has not seen any of the evil acts that are done under the sun.

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.

4 Then I saw that every act of labor and every skillful work became the envy of one's neighbor. This also is vapor and an attempt to shepherd the wind.

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.

5 The fool folds his hands and does not work, so his food is his own flesh.

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

6 But better is a handful of profit with quiet work than two handfuls with the work that tries to shepherd the wind.

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

7 Then I thought again about more futility, more vanishing vapor under the sun.

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

8 There is the kind of man who is alone. He does not have anyone, no son or brother. There is no end to all his work, and his eyes are not satisfied with gaining wealth. He wonders, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vapor, a bad situation.

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.

9 Two people work better than one; together they can earn a good pay for their labor.

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

10 For if one falls, the other can lift up his friend. However, sorrow follows the one who is alone when he falls if there is no one to lift him up.

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!

11 If two lie down together, they can be warm, but how can one be warm alone?

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

12 One man alone can be overpowered, but two can withstand an attack, and a three-strand rope is not quickly broken.

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

13 It is better to be a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to listen to warnings.

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

14 This is true even if the young man becomes king from prison, or even if he was born poor in his kingdom.

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

15 I saw everyone who was alive and was walking around under the sun, along with a youth who was to rise up to take his place.

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

16 There is no end to all the people who want to obey the new king, but later many of them will no longer praise him. Surely this situation is vapor and an attempt to shepherd the wind.

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.