Ecclesiastes, 4
1. Again I considered all the oppressions that take place under the sun: the tears of the victims with none to comfort them! From the hand of their oppressors comes violence, and there is none to comfort them!
1. Then again, I contemplate all the oppression that is committed under the sun. Take for instance the tears of the oppressed. No one to comfort them! The power their oppressors wield. No one to comfort them!
2. And those now dead, I declared more fortunate in death than are the living to be still alive.
2. So, rather than the living who still have lives to live, I congratulate the dead who have already met death;
3. And better off than both is the yet unborn, who has not seen the wicked work that is done under the sun.
3. happier than both of these are those who are yet unborn and have not seen the evil things that are done under the sun.
4. Then I saw that all toil and skillful work is the rivalry of one man for another. This also is vanity and a chase after wind.
4. I see that all effort and all achievement spring from mutual jealousy. This too is futility and chasing after the wind.
5. "The fool folds his arms and consumes his own flesh"--
5. The fool folds his arms and eats his own flesh away.
6. Better is one handful with tranquility than two with toil and a chase after wind!
6. Better one hand full of repose than two hands full of achievements to chase after the wind.
7. Again I found this vanity under the sun:
7. And something else futile I observe under the sun:
8. a solitary man with no companion; with neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end to all his toil, and riches do not satisfy his greed. "For whom do I toil and deprive myself of good things?" This also is vanity and a worthless task.
8. a person is quite alone -- no child, no brother; and yet there is no end to his efforts, his eyes can never have their fill of riches. For whom, then, do I work so hard and grudge myself pleasure? This too is futile, a sorry business.
9. Two are better than one: they get a good wage for their labor.
9. Better two than one alone, since thus their work is really rewarding.
10. If the one falls, the other will lift up his companion. Woe to the solitary man! For if he should fall, he has no one to lift him up.
10. If one should fall, the other helps him up; but what of the person with no one to help him up when he falls?
11. So also, if two sleep together, they keep each other warm. How can one alone keep warm?
11. Again: if two sleep together they keep warm, but how can anyone keep warm alone?
12. Where a lone man may be overcome, two together can resist. A three-ply cord is not easily broken.
12. Where one alone would be overcome, two will put up resistance; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
13. Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows caution;
13. Better a youngster poor and wise than a monarch old and silly who will no longer take advice-
14. for from a prison house one comes forth to rule, since even in his royalty he was poor at birth.
14. even though stepping from prison to the throne, even though born a beggar in that kingdom.
15. Then I saw all those who are to live and move about under the sun with the heir apparent who will succeed to his place.
15. I observe that all who live and move under the sun support the young newcomer who takes over.
16. There is no end to all these people, to all over whom he takes precedence; yet the later generations will not applaud him. This also is vanity and a chase after wind.
16. He takes his place at the head of innumerable subjects; but his successors will not think the more kindly of him for that. This too is futile and chasing after the wind.
17. Guard your step when you go to the house of God. Let your approach be obedience, rather than the fools' offering of sacrifice; for they know not how to keep from doing evil.
17. Watch your step when you go to the House of God: drawing near to listen is better than the offering of a sacrifice by fools, though they do not know that they are doing wrong.
