Ecclesiastes 4

¹Again, I observed all the acts of oppression being done under the sun. ^a Look at the tears of those who are oppressed; they have no one to comfort them. Power is with those who oppress them; they have no one to comfort them. ²So I commended the dead, ^b who have already died, more than the living, who are still alive. ³But better than either of them is the one who has not yet existed, ^c who has not seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.

The Loneliness of Wealth

⁴I saw that all labor and all skillful work is due to one person’s jealousy of another. ^d This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. ^e,^f

⁵The fool folds his arms ^g

and consumes his own flesh. ^h

⁶Better one handful with rest

than two handfuls with effort and a pursuit of the wind. ⁱ

⁷Again, I saw futility under the sun: ⁸There is a person without a companion, ^j without even a son or brother, and though there is no end to all his struggles, his eyes are still not content with riches. ^k “Who am I struggling for,” he asks, “and depriving myself of good things? ” This too is futile and a miserable task.

⁹Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. ¹⁰For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up. ¹¹Also, if two lie down together, they can keep warm; but how can one person alone keep warm? ^{l 12}And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.

¹³Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer pays attention to warnings. ^{m 14}For he came from prison to be king, ⁿ even though he was born poor in his kingdom. ¹⁵I saw all the living, who move about under the sun, follow ^o a second youth who succeeds him. ¹⁶There is no limit to all the people who were before them, yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. ^p