Ecclesiastes 4–5

4Again, I observed all the acts of oppression being done under the sun.^m 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,ⁿ 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,^o 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.^p This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.^q

⁵The fool folds his arms^r

and consumes his own flesh.^s

⁶Better one handful with rest

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

⁷Again, I saw futility under the sun: ⁸There is a person without a companion,^D without even a son or brother, and though there is no end to all his struggles, his eyes are still not content with riches.^u “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?^{v 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.^{w 14}For he came from prison to be king,^x even though he was born poor in his kingdom. ¹⁵I saw all the living, who move about under the sun, follow^A 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.^y

CAUTION IN GOD’S PRESENCE

5Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Better to approach in obedience than to offer the sacrifice as fools do,^z for they ignorantly do wrong. ²Do not be hasty to speak, and do not be impulsive to make a speech before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.^{aa 3}Just as dreams accompany much labor, so also a fool’s voice comes with many words.^{ab 4}When you make a vow to God,^ac don’t delay fulfilling it, because he does not delight in fools. Fulfill what you vow. ⁵Better that you do not vow than that you vow and not fulfill it.^{ad 6}Do not let your mouth bring guilt on you,^ae and do not say in the presence of the messenger that it was a mistake.^af Why should God be angry with your words and destroy the work of your hands? ⁷For many dreams bring futility; so do many words.^ag Therefore, fear God.

THE REALITIES OF WEALTH

⁸If you see oppression of the poor^a and perversion of justice and righteousness in the province, don’t be astonished at the situation,^b because one official protects another official, and higher officials protect them. ⁹The profit from the land is taken by all; the king is served by the field.^Bc

¹⁰The one who loves silver is never satisfied with silver, and whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with income. This too is futile. ¹¹When good things increase, the ones who consume them multiply; what, then, is the profit to the owner, except to gaze at them with his eyes? ¹²The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich permits him no sleep.

¹³There is a sickening tragedy I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm.^{d 14}That wealth was lost in a bad venture, so when he fathered a son, he was empty-handed. ¹⁵As he came from his mother’s womb, so he will go again, naked as he came;^e he will take nothing for his efforts that he can carry in his hands. ¹⁶This too is a sickening tragedy: exactly as he comes, so he will go. What does the one gain^f who struggles for the wind?^{g 17}What is more, he eats in darkness all his days,^h with much frustration, sickness, and anger.

¹⁸Here is what I have seen to be good:ⁱ It is appropriate to eat, drink, and experience good in all the labor one does under the sun during the few days of his life God has given him, because that is his reward.^{j 19}Furthermore, everyone to whom God has given riches and wealth,^k he has also allowed him to enjoy them, take his reward, and rejoice in his labor.^l This is a gift of God,^{m 20}for he does not often consider the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart.