Ecclesiastes 4:1–6:12
1 Then 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.
2 So aI congratulated the dead who are already dead more than the living who are still living.
3 But abetter 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 I have seen that every labor and every askill which is done is the result of rivalry between a man and his neighbor. This too is 1bvanity and striving after wind.
5 The fool afolds his hands and bconsumes his own flesh.
6 One hand full of rest is abetter than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.
7 Then I looked again at vanity under the sun.
8 There was a certain man without a 1dependent, 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 he never asked, “And bfor whom am I laboring and depriving myself of pleasure?” This too is vanity and it is a cgrievous task.
9 Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.
10 For if 1either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not 2another to lift him up.
11 Furthermore, if two lie down together they 1keep warm, but ahow can one be warm alone?
12 And if 1one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.
13 A apoor yet wise lad is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive 1instruction.
14 For he has come aout of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom.
15 I have seen all the living under the sun throng to the side of the second lad who 1replaces him.
16 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 avanity and striving after wind.
1 1aGuard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the bsacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil.
2 1Do not be ahasty 2in word or 3impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your bwords be few.
3 For the dream comes through much 1effort and the voice of a afool through many words.
4 When you amake a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. bPay what you vow!
5 It is abetter that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.
6 Do not let your 1speech cause 2you to sin and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a amistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands?
7 For in many dreams and in many words there is 1emptiness. Rather, 2afear God.
8 If you see aoppression of the poor and bdenial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be cshocked at the 1sight; for one 2official watches over another 2official, and there are higher 3officials over them.
9 After all, a king who cultivates the field is an advantage to the land.
10 aHe who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is 1vanity.
11 aWhen good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to 1look on?
12 The sleep of the working man is apleasant, whether he eats little or much; but the 1full stomach of the rich man does not allow him to sleep.
13 There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: ariches being 1hoarded by their owner to his hurt.
14 When those riches were lost through 1a bad investment and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing 2to support him.
15 aAs he had come naked from his mother’s womb, so will he return as he came. He will btake nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand.
16 This also is a grievous evil—exactly as a man 1is born, thus will he 2die. So awhat is the advantage to him who btoils for the wind?
17 Throughout his life ahe also eats in darkness with bgreat vexation, sickness and anger.
18 Here is what I have seen to be agood and 1fitting: to eat, to drink and 2enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few 3years of his life which God has given him; for this is his 4breward.
19 Furthermore, as for every man to whom aGod has given riches and wealth, He has also bempowered him to eat from them and to receive his 1reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the cgift of God.
20 For he will not often 1consider the 2years of his life, because aGod keeps 3him occupied with the gladness of his heart.
1 There is an aevil which I have seen under the sun and it is prevalent 1among men—
2 a man to whom God has agiven riches and wealth and honor so that his soul blacks nothing of all that he desires; yet God has not empowered him to eat from them, for a foreigner 1enjoys them. This is 2vanity and a severe affliction.
3 If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, however many 1they be, but his soul is not satisfied with good things and he does not even have a proper aburial, then I say, “Better bthe miscarriage than he,
4 for it comes in futility and goes into obscurity; and its name is covered in obscurity.
5 “It never sees the sun and it never knows anything; 1it is better off than he.
6 “Even if the other man lives a thousand years twice and does not 1enjoy good things—ado not all go to one place?”
7 aAll a man’s labor is for his mouth and yet the 1appetite is not 2satisfied.
8 For awhat advantage does the wise man have over the fool? What advantage does the poor man have, knowing how to walk before the living?
9 What the eyes asee is better than what the soul 1desires. This too is bfutility and a striving after wind.
10 Whatever aexists has already been named, and it is known what man is; for he bcannot dispute with him who is stronger than he is.
11 For there are many words which increase futility. What then is the advantage to a man?
12 For who knows what is good for a man during his lifetime, during the few 1years of his futile life? He will 2spend them like a shadow. For who can tell a man awhat will be after him under the sun?