Ecclesiastes 4
The Tears of the Oppressed
4Then I looked again at all the acts of aoppression which were being done under the sun. And behold, I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had bno one to comfort them; and on the side of their oppressors was power, but they had no one to comfort them. 2So aI lauded the dead who are already dead more than the living who are still living. 3But abetter off than both of them is the one who never has been, who has never seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
4I have seen that every labor and every asuccess of the work is the result of jealousy between a man and his neighbor. This too is 1,bvanity and striving after wind. 5The fool afolds his hands in embrace and bconsumes his own flesh. 6One hand full of rest is abetter than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.
7Then I looked again at vanity under the sun. 8There was a certain man without a second man, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, ahis eyes were not satisfied with riches—“And bfor whom am I laboring and depriving myself of good?” This too is vanity, and it is a cgrievous endeavor.
9Two are better than one because they have good wages for their labor. 10For if 1either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not a second one to lift him up. 11Furthermore, if two lie down together they 1keep warm, but ahow can one be warm alone? 12And if 1one can overpower him who is alone, two can stand against him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.
13A apoor yet wise lad is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive 1warning. 14For he has come aout of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom. 15I have seen all the living who walk about under the sun go along with the second lad who stands in place of him. 16There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them, and even the ones who will come later will not be glad with him, for this too is avanity and striving after wind.