Ecclesiastes 4

1 So I turned and considered all the oppressions that are wrought vnder the sunne, and beholde the teares of the oppressed, and none comforteth them: and lo, the strength is of the hand of them that oppresse them, and none comforteth them.

I turnede me to othere thingis, and Y siy fals chalengis, that ben don vndur the sunne, and the teeris of innocentis, and no man coumfortour; and that thei forsakun of the help of alle men, moun not ayenstonde the violence of hem.

2 Wherefore I praysed the dead which now are dead, aboue the liuing, which are yet aliue.

And Y preiside more deed men than lyuynge men;

3 And I count him better then them both, which hath not yet bin: for he hath not seene the euill workes which are wrought vnder the sunne.

and Y demyde hym, that was not borun yit, and siy not the yuels that ben don vndur the sunne, to be blisfulere than euer eithir.

4 Also I beheld all trauaile, and all perfection of workes that this is ye enuie of a man against his neighbour: this also is vanitie and vexation of spirit.

Eft Y bihelde alle the trauelis of men, and bisynesses; and Y perseyuede that tho ben opyn to the enuye of neiybore; and therfor in this is vanyte, and superflu bisynesse.

5 The foole foldeth his hands, and eateth vp his owne flesh.

A fool foldith togidere hise hondis, and etith hise fleischis,

6 Better is an handfull with quietnesse, then two handfuls with labour and vexation of spirit.

and seith, Betere is an handful with reste, than euer either hondful with trauel and turment of soule.

7 Againe I returned, and sawe vanitie vnder the sunne.

I bihelde and foond also another vanytee vndir the sunne;

8 There is one alone, and there is not a second, which hath neither sonne nor brother, yet is there none end of all his trauaile, neither can his eye be satisfied with riches: neither doeth he thinke, For whome doe I trauaile and defraude my soule of pleasure? this also is vanitie, and this is an euill trauaile.

oon is, and he hath not a secounde; not a sone, not a brother; and netheles he ceesith not for to trauele, nether hise iyen ben fillid with richessis; nether he bithenkith, and seith, To whom trauele Y, and disseyue my soule in goodis? In this also is vanyte, and the worste turment.

9 Two are better then one: for they haue better wages for their labour.

Therfor it is betere, that tweyne be togidere than oon; for thei han profite of her felouschipe.

10 For if they fal, the one wil lift vp his felow: but wo vnto him that is alone: for he falleth, and there is not a second to lift him vp.

If oon fallith doun, he schal be vndurset of the tothere; wo to hym that is aloone, for whanne he fallith, he hath noon reisynge him.

11 Also if two sleepe together, then shall they haue heate: but to one how should there be heate?

And if tweyne slepen, thei schulen be nurschid togidere; hou schal oon be maad hoot?

12 And if one ouercome him, two shall stand against him: and a threefolde coard is not easily broken.

And if ony man hath maistri ayens oon, tweyne ayen stonden hym; a threfolde corde is brokun of hard.

13 Better is a poore and wise childe, then an olde and foolish King, which will no more be admonished.

A pore man and wijs is betere than an eld kyng and fool, that kan not bifore se in to tyme to comynge.

14 For out of the prison he commeth forth to reigne: when as he that is borne in his kingdome, is made poore.

For sum tyme a man goith out bothe fro prysoun and chaynes to a rewme; and anothir borun in to a rewme is wastid bi nedynesse.

15 I behelde all the liuing, which walke vnder the sunne, with the second childe, which shall stand vp in his place.

I siy alle men lyuynge that goen vndur the sunne, with the secounde yong wexynge man, that schal rise for hym.

16 There is none ende of all the people, nor of all that were before them, and they that come after, shall not reioyce in him: surely this is also vanitie and vexation of spirit.

The noumbre of puple, of alle that weren bifore hym, is greet with outen mesure, and thei that schulen come aftirward, schulen not be glad in hym; but also this is vanyte and turment of the spirit.