Ecclesiastes 4

1 And I have turned, and I see all the oppressions that are done under the sun, and lo, the tear of the oppressed, and they have no comforter; and at the hand of their oppressors [is] power, and they have no comforter.

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

Therefore I praised the dead who have long been dead more than the living who are yet alive.

3 And better than both of them [is] he who hath not yet been, in that he hath not seen the evil work that hath been done under the sun.

Yea, better than them both is him who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

4 And I have seen all the labour, and all the benefit of the work, because for it a man is the envy of his neighbour. Even this [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.

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

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

The fool folds his hands together, and eats his own flesh.

6 'Better [is] a handful [with] quietness, than two handfuls [with] labour and vexation of spirit.'

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

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

Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

8 There is one, and there is not a second; even son or brother he hath not, and there is no end to all his labour! His eye also is not satisfied with riches, and [he saith not], 'For whom am I labouring and bereaving my soul of good?' This also is vanity, it is a sad travail.

There is one man who is alone, and he has not a second, yea, he has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end of all his labor, nor are his eyes satisfied with riches. For whom then, he says, do I labor, and deprive my soul of good? This also is vanity, yea, it is a great travail.

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

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

10 For if they fall, the one raiseth up his companion, but woe to the one who falleth and there is not a second to raise him up!

For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow, but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and has not another to lift him up.

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

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

12 And if the one strengthen himself, the two stand against him; and the threefold cord is not hastily broken.

And if a man prevails against him who is alone, two shall withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

13 Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who hath not known to be warned any more.

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

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

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

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

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

16 there is no end to all the people, to all who were before them; also, the latter rejoice not in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

There was no end of all the people, even of all those over whom he was. Yet those who come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.