Ecclesiastes 4–5

Is It Better to Be Dead?

4Again I saw all the people who were mistreated here on earth.

I saw their tears

and that they had no one to comfort them.

Cruel people had all the power,

and there was no one to comfort those they hurt.

²I decided that the dead

are better off than the living.

³But those who have never been born

are better off still;

they have not seen the evil

that is done here on earth.

Why Work So Hard?

⁴I realized the reason people work hard and try to succeed: They are jealous of each other. This, too, is useless, like chasing the wind.

⁵Some say it is foolish to fold your hands and do nothing,

because you will starve to death.

⁶Maybe so, but I say it is better to be content

with what little you have.

Otherwise, you will always be struggling for more,

and that is like chasing the wind.

⁷Again I saw something here on earth that was useless:

⁸I saw a man who had no family,

no son or brother.

He always worked hard

but was never satisfied with what he had.

He never asked himself, “For whom am I working so hard?

Why don’t I let myself enjoy life?”

This also is very sad and useless.

Friends and Family Give Strength

⁹Two people are better than one,

because they get more done by working together.

¹⁰If one falls down,

the other can help him up.

But it is bad for the person who is alone and falls,

because no one is there to help.

¹¹If two lie down together, they will be warm,

but a person alone will not be warm.

¹²An enemy might defeat one person,

but two people together can defend themselves;

a rope that is woven of three strings is hard to break.

Fame and Power Are Useless

¹³A poor but wise boy is better than a foolish but old king who doesn’t listen to advice. ¹⁴A boy became king. He had been born poor in the kingdom and had even gone to prison before becoming king. ¹⁵I watched all the people who live on earth follow him and make him their king. ¹⁶Many followed him at first, but later, they did not like him, either. So fame and power are useless, like chasing the wind.

Be Careful About Making Promises

5Be careful when you go to worship at the Temple. It is better to listen than to offer foolish sacrifices without even knowing you are doing wrong.

²Think before you speak,

and be careful about what you say to God.

God is in heaven,

and you are on the earth,

so say only a few words to God.

³The saying is true: Bad dreams come from too much worrying,

and too many words come from foolish people.

⁴If you make a promise to God, don’t be slow to keep it. God is not happy with fools, so give God what you promised. ⁵It is better not to promise anything than to promise something and not do it. ⁶Don’t let your words cause you to sin, and don’t say to the priest at the Temple, “I didn’t mean what I promised.” If you do, God will become angry with your words and will destroy everything you have worked for. ⁷Many useless promises are like so many dreams; they mean nothing. You should respect God.

Officers Cheat Each Other

⁸In some places you will see poor people mistreated. Don’t be surprised when they are not treated fairly or given their rights. One officer is cheated by a higher officer who in turn is cheated by even higher officers. ⁹The wealth of the country is divided up among them all. Even the king makes sure he gets his share of the profits.

Wealth Cannot Buy Happiness

¹⁰Whoever loves money

will never have enough money;

Whoever loves wealth

will not be satisfied with it.

This is also useless.

¹¹The more wealth people have,

the more friends they have to help spend it.

So what do people really gain?

They gain nothing except to look at their riches.

¹²Those who work hard sleep in peace;

it is not important if they eat little or much.

But rich people worry about their wealth

and cannot sleep.

¹³I have seen real misery here on earth:

Money saved is a curse to its owners.

¹⁴They lose it all in a bad deal

and have nothing to give to their children.

¹⁵People come into this world with nothing,

and when they die they leave with nothing.

In spite of all their hard work,

they leave just as they came.

¹⁶This, too, is real misery:

They leave just as they came.

So what do they gain from chasing the wind?

¹⁷All they get are days full of sadness and sorrow,

and they end up sick, defeated, and angry.

Enjoy Your Life’s Work

¹⁸I have seen what is best for people here on earth. They should eat and drink and enjoy their work, because the life God has given them on earth is short. ¹⁹God gives some people the ability to enjoy the wealth and property he gives them, as well as the ability to accept their state in life and enjoy their work. ²⁰They do not worry about how short life is, because God keeps them busy with what they love to do.