1 T hen I returned and considered all the oppression that is done under the sun: And look! The tears of the oppressed, But they have no comforter— On the side of their oppressors there is power, But they have no comforter.

Then I looked again at all the acts of oppression which were being done under the sun. And behold I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had no one to comfort them; and on the side of their oppressors was power, but they had no one to comfort them.

2 T herefore I praised the dead who were already dead, More than the living who are still alive.

So I congratulated the dead who are already dead more than the living who are still living.

3 Y et, better than both is he who has never existed, Who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun. The Vanity of Selfish Toil

But better off than both of them is the one who has never existed, who has never seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.

4 A gain, I saw that for all toil and every skillful work a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.

I have seen that every labor and every skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a man and his neighbor. This too is vanity and striving after wind.

5 T he fool folds his hands And consumes his own flesh.

The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.

6 B etter a handful with quietness Than both hands full, together with toil and grasping for the wind.

One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.

7 T hen I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun:

Then I looked again at vanity under the sun.

8 T here is one alone, without companion: He has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end to all his labors, Nor is his eye satisfied with riches. But he never asks, “For whom do I toil and deprive myself of good?” This also is vanity and a grave misfortune. The Value of a Friend

There was a certain man without a dependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches and he never asked, “And for whom am I laboring and depriving myself of pleasure?” This too is vanity and it is a grievous task.

9 T wo are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor.

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

10 F or if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up.

For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.

11 A gain, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone?

Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone ?

12 T hough one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Popularity Passes Away

And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

13 B etter a poor and wise youth Than an old and foolish king who will be admonished no more.

A poor yet wise lad is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive instruction.

14 F or he comes out of prison to be king, Although he was born poor in his kingdom.

For he has come out of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom.

15 I saw all the living who walk under the sun; They were with the second youth who stands in his place.

I have seen all the living under the sun throng to the side of the second lad who replaces him.

16 T here was no end of all the people over whom he was made king; Yet those who come afterward will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and grasping for the wind.

There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them, and even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him, for this too is vanity and striving after wind.