Ecclesiastes 4

¹Then I turned and saw all the oppressions which take place under the sun; and, behold, there were the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; and from the hand of their oppressors there was violence, and they had no comforter.

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

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

⁴And I saw all labor, and all success in work, that for this a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity, and striving after wind.

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

⁶Better is a hand full of quietness, than both hands full of weariness and striving after wind.

⁷Then I turned and saw other vanity under the sun.

⁸There is one who is alone, and no one with him; yea, he hath neither son nor brother; yet is there no end to all his labor, and his eye is not satisfied with riches. "For whom, then [saith he], do I labor and deprive myself of good?" This also is vanity; yea, it is an evil thing!

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

¹⁰For if they fall, the one will lift his fellow up; but woe to him who is alone when he falleth, and 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 an enemy prevail against one, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

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

¹⁴For out of prison cometh forth such a one to reign; for in his own kingdom he was born a poor man.

¹⁵I saw that all the living, who walk under the sun, were with the child who stood up in his stead.

¹⁶There was no end to all the people before whom he went forth; yet they that come afterwards shall not rejoice in him. This also is vanity, and striving after wind.

Ecclesiastes 4

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.