Ecclesiastes 4:1–5:10

1  And I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors was power, and they had no comforter. 2  Then I praised the dead who are already dead more than the living who are yet alive; 3  and more fortunate than both is he who hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

4  And I saw all labour, and all success of work, that it is man’s jealousy of his neighbour. This also is vanity and pursuit of the wind. 5  The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh. 6  Better is a handful with quietness, than both hands full with labour and pursuit of the wind.

7  And I returned and saw vanity under the sun. 8  There is one alone and without a second; also he hath neither son nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour, neither is his eye satisfied with riches, and he saith not, For whom then am I labouring, and depriving my soul of good? This also is vanity and a grievous occupation. 9  Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10  For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, and who hath not another to lift him up! 11  Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one alone be warm? 12  And if a man overpower the one, the two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

13  Better is a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth no more how to be admonished. 14  For out of the prison-house he came forth to reign, although he was born poor in his kingdom. 15  I saw all the living that walk under the sun, with the child, the second, that should stand up in his stead. 16  There is no end of all the people, of all that stood before them; those however that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after the wind.

Chapter 5

1  Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and draw near to hear, rather than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they know not that they do evil. 2  Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is in the heavens, and thou upon earth; therefore let thy words be few. 3  For a dream cometh through the multitude of business, and a fool’s voice through a multitude of words.

4  When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. 5  Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. 6  Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an inadvertence. Wherefore should God be wroth at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands? 7  For in the multitude of dreams are vanities; so with many words: but fear God. 8  If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter; for a higher than the high is watching, and there are higher than they.

9  Moreover the earth is every way profitable: the king himself is dependent upon the field. 10  He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he that loveth abundance with increase. This also is vanity.