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!
Then I turned and saw all the oppressions which take place under the sun; and, behold, there were the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; and from the hand of their oppressors there was violence, and they had no comforter.
2 So I considered those who are already dead more fortunate than the living, who are still alive.
Therefore I praised the dead, who have been long ago dead, more than 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.
Yea, better than both of them is he who hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work which is 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 saw all labor, and all success in work, that for this a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity, and striving after wind.
5 The fool folds his hands and does not work, so his food is his own flesh.
The fool foldeth his hands together and eateth 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 hand full of quietness, than both hands full of weariness and striving after wind.
7 Then I thought again about more futility, more vanishing vapor under the sun.
Then I turned and saw other vanity 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 who is alone, and no one with him; yea, he hath neither son nor brother; yet is there no end to all his labor, and his eye is not satisfied with riches. “For whom, then [[saith he]], do I labor and deprive myself of good?” This also is vanity; yea, it is an evil thing!
9 Two people work better than one; together they can earn a good pay for their labor.
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for 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 will lift his fellow up; but woe to him who is alone when he falleth, and hath not another to help him up!
11 If two lie down together, they can be warm, but how can one be warm alone?
Again, if two lie together, then they have heat; but how can one be warm alone?
12 One man alone can be overpowered, but two can withstand an attack, and a three-strand rope is not quickly broken.
And if an enemy prevail against one, two shall withstand him; and a 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 child poor but wise, than a king old and foolish, who will no more be admonished.
14 This is true even if the young man becomes king from prison, or even if he was born poor in his kingdom.
For out of prison cometh forth such a one to reign; for in his own kingdom he was born a poor man.
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 saw that all the living, who walk under the sun, were with the child who stood up in his stead.
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 was no end to all the people before whom he went forth; yet they that come afterwards shall not rejoice in him. This also is vanity, and striving after wind.
