1 A nd 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.

Then I saw all the bad powers that were ruling under the sun. I saw the tears of the people who were suffering under these powers, with no one to comfort them. Those who made it hard for them had the power. But the people had no one to comfort them.

2 A nd I am praising the dead who have already died above the living who are yet alive.

So I thought that those who are already dead are better off than those who are still living.

3 A nd 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.

But better than both is the one who has never been, who has never seen the wrong that is done under the sun.

4 A nd 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.

I have seen that all the work done is because a man wants what his neighbor has. This also is for nothing, like trying to catch the wind.

5 T he fool is clasping his hands, and eating his own flesh:

The fool folds his hands and has no food to eat.

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

One hand full of rest is better than two hands full of work and trying to catch the wind.

7 A nd I have turned, and I see a vain thing under the sun:

Then I looked again at what is of no use under the sun.

8 T here 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.

There was a certain man who lived alone. He did not have a son or a brother. Yet he worked all the time. His eyes were never happy with the riches he had, and he never asked, “For whom am I working and why am I keeping myself from happiness?” This also is for nothing. It is work that brings sorrow. A True Friend

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

Two are better than one, because they have good pay for their work.

10 F or 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!

For if one of them falls, the other can help him up. But it is hard for the one who falls when there is no one to lift him up.

11 A lso, if two lie down, then they have heat, but how hath one heat?

And if two lie down together, they keep warm. But how can one be warm alone?

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

One man is able to have power over him who is alone, but two can stand against him. It is not easy to break a rope made of three strings.

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

A poor and wise boy is better than an old and foolish king who will no longer listen to words of wisdom.

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

A man can come out of prison to become king, even if he was born poor in his nation.

15 I have seen all the living, who are walking under the sun, with the second youth who doth stand in his place;

I have seen all the living under the sun gather to the side of the boy who becomes king in his place.

16 t here 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.

There was no end to all the people. He ruled over all of them. Yet those who come later will not be happy with him. For this also is for nothing, like trying to catch the wind.