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.

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 power, and they have no comforter.

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

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

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

And better than both of them he who hath not yet been, in that he hath not seen the evil work that hath been 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.

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 vanity and vexation of spirit.

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

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

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

`Better a handful quietness, than two handfuls labour and vexation of spirit.'

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

And I have turned, and I see a vain thing 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 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, `For whom am I labouring and bereaving my soul of good?' This also is vanity, it is a sad travail.

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

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

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 they fall, the one raiseth up his companion, but wo to the one who falleth and there is not a second to raise him up!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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, who are walking under the sun, with the second youth who doth stand in his place;

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; also, the latter rejoice not in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.