Ecclesiastes 4

1 I thought some more about all the suffering that people are caused to experience on the earth [MTY]. I saw the tears of people who were (oppressed/treated cruelly) and who had no one to comfort/encourage them. Those who oppressed them had power, and there was absolutely no one who was able to comfort those who were being oppressed.

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.

2 [So] I thought that those who are already dead are more fortunate than those who are still alive.

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

3 And those who have not been born yet are more fortunate than those who are still alive and those who have died, [because] those who have not been born have not seen all the evil things that are done on the earth.

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.

4 I also thought about all the hard work that people do and the skills that they have. And I thought about how they compete with each other because they are envious of others, [and I concluded that] this also is something that is not accomplishing anything useful, [like] chasing the wind.

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.

5 Foolish people [refuse to work]; they sit idly, with their hands folded, [and do not work]. [So] they ruin themselves.

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

6 [So I say], “It is better to be content with not having much money, than to work very hard and try to get a lot of money, which is [as useless as] chasing the wind.”

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

7 I thought about something else that happens on the earth [MTY] that seems senseless.

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

8 There are men who live alone; they do not have a wife or children or any brothers living with them; every day they work [very hard], without stopping, to get a lot of money, but they are never satisfied with the things that they have. They never ask [themselves], “Why am I working very hard to earn more money? Why am I not doing things that would cause me to be happy?” What they do also seems senseless.

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.

9 Having someone [work] with you is better than being by yourself [all the time]. If you have a friend, he can help you to do your work.

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

10 If you fall down, he can help you get up again. But if you fall down when you are alone, it will be difficult for you, because there will be no one to help you stand up.

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!

11 Similarly, if two people sleep together, they can keep each other warm. But someone who sleeps alone will certainly not [RHQ] be warm.

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

12 Someone who is alone can easily be attacked and defeated by another person, but two people can help each other and (resist/defend themselves against) someone who attacks them. [Three people can defend themselves even more easily], [like] a rope that is made from three cords is harder to break [than a rope made from two cords].

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

13 A young man who is poor but wise is a better person than a foolish old king who refuses to pay attention when people try to give him good advice.

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

14 It is possible for a young man like that to succeed and some day become king, even if his parents were poor or even if he was in prison some of the time.

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

15 But then some other young man becomes king, and everyone (starts to support/is pleased with) him.

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

16 Large crowds of people crowd around him. But after a few years, they will reject him, [too]. So it is all senseless, [like] chasing after the wind.

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.