Ecclesiastes — Chapter 4

1Again I looked, and I considered all the oppression taking place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; the power lay in the hands of their oppressors, and there was no comforter.

2So I admired the dead, who had already died, above the living, who are still alive.

3But better than both is he who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.

4I saw that all labor and success spring from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

5The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.

6Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and pursuit of the wind.

7Again, I saw futility under the sun.

8There is a man all alone, without even a son or brother. And though there is no end to his labor, his eyes are still not content with his wealth: “For whom do I toil and bereave my soul of enjoyment?” This too is futile—a miserable task.

9Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.

10For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up!

11Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone?

12And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

13Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take a warning.

14For the youth has come from the prison to the kingship, though he was born poor in his own kingdom.

15I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed this second one, the youth who succeeded the king.

16There is no limit to all the people who were before them. Yet the successor will not be celebrated by those who come even later. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

1So I returned, and considered 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.

2Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.

3Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

4Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

5The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.

6Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.

7Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.

8There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.

9Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

10For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

11Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?

12And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

13Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.

14For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor.

15I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead.

16There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

1Then 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.

2Wherefore I praised the dead that have been long dead more than the living that are yet alive;

3yea, 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.

4Then 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.

5The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.

6Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and striving after wind.

7Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

8There 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.

9Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.

10For 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.

11Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one be warm [alone]?

12And if a man prevail against him that is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

13Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth not how to receive admonition any more.

14For out of prison he came forth to be king; yea, even in his kingdom he was born poor.

15I saw all the living that walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the second, that stood up in his stead.

16There 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.

1So I again considered all the oppression that continually occurs on earth. This is what I saw: The oppressed were in tears, but no one was comforting them; no one delivers them from the power of their oppressors.

2So I considered those who are dead and gone more fortunate than those who are still alive.

3But better than both is the one who has not been born and has not seen the evil things that are done on earth.

4Then I considered all the skillful work that is done: Surely it is nothing more than competition between one person and another. This also is profitless—like chasing the wind.

5The fool folds his hands and does no work, so he has nothing to eat but his own flesh.

6Better is one handful with some rest than two hands full of toil and chasing the wind.

7So I again considered another futile thing on earth:

8A man who is all alone with no companion— he has no children nor siblings; yet there is no end to all his toil, and he is never satisfied with riches. He laments, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is futile and a burdensome task!

9Two people are better than one because they can reap more benefit from their labor.

10For if they fall, one will help his companion up, but pity the person who falls down and has no one to help him up.

11Furthermore, if two lie down together, they can keep each other warm, but how can one person keep warm by himself?

12Although an assailant may overpower one person, two can withstand him. Moreover, a three-stranded cord is not quickly broken.

13A poor but wise youth is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive advice.

14For he came out of prison to become king, even though he had been born poor in what would become his kingdom.

15I considered all the living who walk on earth, as well as the successor who would arise in his place.

16There is no end to all the people nor to the past generations, yet future generations will not rejoice in him. This also is profitless and like chasing the wind.

1Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold, the tears of those who were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.

2Therefore I praised the dead who have been long dead more than the living who are yet alive.

3Yes, better than them both is him who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

4Then I saw all the labor and achievement that is the envy of a man’s neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

5The fool folds his hands together and ruins himself.

6Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and chasing after wind.

7Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

8There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. “For whom then, do I labor, and deprive my soul of enjoyment?” This also is vanity. Yes, it is a miserable business.

9Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.

10For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and doesn’t have another to lift him up.

11Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one keep warm alone?

12If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

13Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who doesn’t know how to receive admonition any more.

14For out of prison he came out to be king; yes, even in his kingdom he was born poor.

15I saw all the living who walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the other, who succeeded him.

16There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was—yet those who come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.