Ecclesiastes 4

1 And I turned about, and beheld all the oppressed that are made so under the sun: and, behold, there are the tears of the oppressed, and they have no comforter; and from the hand of their oppressors they suffer violence; and they have no comforter.

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.

2 Thereupon praised I the dead that are already dead, more than the living who are still alive;

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

3 And as happier than both of them, him who hath not yet come into being, who hath not seen the evil-doing that is done under the sun.—

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.

4 Again, I beheld all the toil, and all the energy in doing, that it is [from] the envy of one man of his neighbor. Also this is vanity and a torture of the spirit.

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.

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

The fool folds his hands together and ruins himself.

6 Better is a handful of quiet, than both the hands full of toil and torture of spirit.

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

7 Then I turned about, and I saw a vanity under the sun.

Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

8 There is one alone, and he hath not a companion; yea, he hath neither son nor brother: yet is there no end to all his toil; his eye also is not satisfied with riches. Yet for whom do I toil, and deprive my soul of good? Also this is vanity, yea, it is a bad employment.

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.

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

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

10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to the single one that falleth; for he hath no companion to lift him up.

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.

11 Also, if two lie together, then will they become warm; but how can one person alone become warm?

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

12 And if a man could overpower him, the single one, two would stand up against him: and a threefold cord cannot quickly be torn asunder.

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

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

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

14 For out of the prison cometh the one to reign: whereas also in his kingdom the other becometh poor.

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

15 I have seen all the living who walk under the sun, being with the second child that is to stand up in his stead.

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

16 There was no end to all the people, [belonging] to all that have been before them: they also that come after will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a torture of the spirit.—

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.