1 So I returned,

And saw all the oppressions

That were done under the sun:

And behold the tear of the oppressed,

And they had no comforter;

And on the side of them that oppressed them was power;

But they had no comforter:

2 And I praised all the dead that had already died

More than the living,

As many as are alive until now.

3 Better also than both these

Is he who has not yet been,

Who has not seen all the evil work

That is done under the sun.

4 And I saw all labor,

And all the diligent work,

That this is a man’s envy from his neighbor.

This is also vanity and waywardness of spirit.

5 The fool folds his hands together,

And eats his own flesh.

6 Better is a handful of rest

Than two handfuls of trouble

And waywardness of spirit.

7 So I returned, and saw vanity under the sun.

8 There is one alone, and there is not a second;

Yea, he has neither son nor brother:

Yet there is no end to all his labor;

Neither is his eye satisfied with wealth;

And for whom do I labor,

And deprive my soul of good?

This is also vanity,

And an evil trouble.

9 Two are better than one,

Seeing they have a good reward for their labor.

10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow:

But woe to him that is alone when he falls,

And there is not a second to lift him up.

11 Also if two should lie together, they also get heat:

But how shall one be warmed alone?

12 And if one should prevail against him,

The two shall withstand him;

And a threefold cord shall not be quickly broken.

13 Better is a poor and wise child

Than an old and foolish king,

Who knows not how to take heed any longer.

14 For he shall come forth out of the house of the prisoners to reign,

Because he also that was in his kingdom has become poor.

15 I beheld all the living

Who were walking under the sun,

With the second youth

Who shall stand up in each one’s place.

16 There is no end to all the people,

To all who were before them:

And the last shall not rejoice in him:

For this also is vanity and waywardness of spirit.

17 Keep thy foot, whensoever thou goest to the house of God;

And when thou art near to hear,

Let thy sacrifice be better than the gift of fools:

For they know not that they are doing evil.