1 So I turned and considered all the oppressions that are wrought vnder the sunne, and beholde the teares of the oppressed, and none comforteth them: and lo, the strength is of the hand of them that oppresse them, and none comforteth them. 2 Wherefore I praysed the dead which now are dead, aboue the liuing, which are yet aliue. 3 And I count him better then them both, which hath not yet bin: for he hath not seene the euill workes which are wrought vnder the sunne. 4 Also I beheld all trauaile, and all perfection of workes that this is ye enuie of a man against his neighbour: this also is vanitie and vexation of spirit. 5 The foole foldeth his hands, and eateth vp his owne flesh. 6 Better is an handfull with quietnesse, then two handfuls with labour and vexation of spirit. 7 Againe I returned, and sawe vanitie vnder the sunne. 8 There is one alone, and there is not a second, which hath neither sonne nor brother, yet is there none end of all his trauaile, neither can his eye be satisfied with riches: neither doeth he thinke, For whome doe I trauaile and defraude my soule of pleasure? this also is vanitie, and this is an euill trauaile. 9 Two are better then one: for they haue better wages for their labour. 10 For if they fal, the one wil lift vp his felow: but wo vnto him that is alone: for he falleth, and there is not a second to lift him vp. 11 Also if two sleepe together, then shall they haue heate: but to one how should there be heate? 12 And if one ouercome him, two shall stand against him: and a threefolde coard is not easily broken. 13 Better is a poore and wise childe, then an olde and foolish King, which will no more be admonished. 14 For out of the prison he commeth forth to reigne: when as he that is borne in his kingdome, is made poore. 15 I behelde all the liuing, which walke vnder the sunne, with the second childe, which shall stand vp in his place. 16 There is none ende of all the people, nor of all that were before them, and they that come after, shall not reioyce in him: surely this is also vanitie and vexation of spirit. 17 Take heede to thy foote when thou entrest into the House of God, and be more neere to heare then to giue the sacrifice of fooles: for they knowe not that they doe euil.
1 Then I looked again at all the injustice that goes on in this world. The oppressed were crying, and no one would help them. No one would help them, because their oppressors had power on their side. 2 I envy those who are dead and gone; they are better off than those who are still alive. 3 But better off than either are those who have never been born, who have never seen the injustice that goes on in this world.
4 I have also learned why people work so hard to succeed: it is because they envy the things their neighbors have. But it is useless. It is like chasing the wind. 5 They say that we would be fools to fold our hands and let ourselves starve to death. 6 Maybe so, but it is better to have only a little, with peace of mind, than be busy all the time with both hands, trying to catch the wind.
7 I have noticed something else in life that is useless. 8 Here is someone who lives alone. He has no son, no brother, yet he is always working, never satisfied with the wealth he has. For whom is he working so hard and denying himself any pleasure? This is useless, too—and a miserable way to live.
9 Two are better off than one, because together they can work more effectively. 10 If one of them falls down, the other can help him up. But if someone is alone and falls, it's just too bad, because there is no one to help him. 11 If it is cold, two can sleep together and stay warm, but how can you keep warm by yourself? 12 Two people can resist an attack that would defeat one person alone. A rope made of three cords is hard to break.
13-14 Someone may rise from poverty to become king of his country, or go from prison to the throne, but if in his old age he is too foolish to take advice, he is not as well off as a young man who is poor but intelligent. 15 I thought about all the people who live in this world, and I realized that somewhere among them there is a young man who will take the king's place. 16 There may be no limit to the number of people a king rules; when he is gone, no one will be grateful for what he has done. It is useless. It is like chasing the wind.