Ecclesiastes 4

1 Then 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.

Again 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.

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

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

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

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

4 Then 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.

I 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.

5 The fool folds his hands together and ruins himself.

The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.

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

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

7 Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

Again, I saw futility under the sun.

8 There 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.

There 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.

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

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

10 For 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

16 There 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.

There 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.