Ecclesiastes 4–5

Oppression, Toil, Friendlessness

4Again I looked and saw all the oppression^d that was taking place under the sun:

I saw the tears of the oppressed—

and they have no comforter;

power was on the side of their oppressors—

and they have no comforter.^e

²And I declared that the dead,^f

who had already died,

are happier than the living,

who are still alive.^g

³But better than both

is the one who has never been born,^h

who has not seen the evil

that is done under the sun.ⁱ

⁴And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.^j

⁵Fools fold their hands^k

and ruin themselves.

⁶Better one handful with tranquillity

than two handfuls with toil^l

and chasing after the wind.

⁷Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:

⁸There was a man all alone;

he had neither son nor brother.

There was no end to his toil,

yet his eyes were not content^m with his wealth.

“For whom am I toiling,” he asked,

“and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?”

This too is meaningless—

a miserable business!

⁹Two are better than one,

because they have a good return for their labor:

¹⁰If either of them falls down,

one can help the other up.

But pity anyone who falls

and has no one to help them up.

¹¹Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.

But how can one keep warm alone?

¹²Though one may be overpowered,

two can defend themselves.

A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Advancement Is Meaningless

¹³Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning. ¹⁴The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. ¹⁵I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor. ¹⁶There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Fulfill Your Vow to God

5^aGuard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.

²Do not be quick with your mouth,

do not be hasty in your heart

to utter anything before God.ⁿ

God is in heaven

and you are on earth,

so let your words be few.^o

³A dream^p comes when there are many cares,

and many words mark the speech of a fool.^q

⁴When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it.^r He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow.^{s 5}It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it.^{t 6}Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, “My vow was a mistake.” Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands? ⁷Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore fear God.^u

Riches Are Meaningless

⁸If you see the poor oppressed^v in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still. ⁹The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.

¹⁰Whoever loves money never has enough;

whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.

This too is meaningless.

¹¹As goods increase,

so do those who consume them.

And what benefit are they to the owners

except to feast their eyes on them?

¹²The sleep of a laborer is sweet,

whether they eat little or much,

but as for the rich, their abundance

permits them no sleep.^w

¹³I have seen a grievous evil under the sun:^x

wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners,

¹⁴or wealth lost through some misfortune,

so that when they have children

there is nothing left for them to inherit.

¹⁵Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb,

and as everyone comes, so they depart.^y

They take nothing from their toil^z

that they can carry in their hands.^a

¹⁶This too is a grievous evil:

As everyone comes, so they depart,

and what do they gain,

since they toil for the wind?^b

¹⁷All their days they eat in darkness,

with great frustration, affliction and anger.

¹⁸This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink^c and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor^d under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. ¹⁹Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions,^e and the ability to enjoy them,^f to accept their lot^g and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God.^{h 20}They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.ⁱ