Ecclesiastes 4
4
Better Not to Have Been Born
1Next, I turned to look at all the acts of oppression that make people suffer under the sun. Look at the tears of those who suffer! No one can comfort them. Their oppressors have ⌞all⌟ the power. No one can comfort those who suffer. 2I congratulate the dead, who have already died, rather than the living, who still have to carry on. 3But the person who hasn’t been born yet is better off than both of them. He hasn’t seen the evil that is done under the sun.
Hard Work Versus Laziness
4Then I saw that all hard work and skillful effort come from rivalry. Even this is pointless. ⌞It’s like⌟ trying to catch the wind. 5A fool folds his hands and wastes away. 6One handful of peace and quiet is better than two handfuls of hard work and of trying to catch the wind.
Those Who Are All Alone
7Next, I turned to look at something pointless under the sun: 8There are people who are all alone. They have no children or other family members. So there is no end to all the hard work they have to do. Their eyes are never satisfied with riches. But ⌞they never ask themselves⌟ why they are working so hard and depriving themselves of good things. Even this is pointless and a terrible tragedy.
Two Are Better Than One
9Two people are better than one because ⌞together⌟ they have a good reward for their hard work. 10If one falls, the other can help his friend get up. But how tragic it is for the one who is ⌞all⌟ alone when he falls. There is no one to help him get up. 11Again, if two people lie down together, they can keep warm, but how can one person keep warm? 12Though one person may be overpowered by another, two people can resist one opponent. A triple-braided rope is not easily broken.
Rulers and Fickle Citizens
13A young man who is poor and wise is better than an old, foolish king who won’t take advice any longer.
14A young man came out of prison to rule as king, even though he had been born in poverty in that same kingdom. 15I saw all living people moving about under the sun. They sided with the second young man, the king’s successor. 16There was no end to all those people, everyone whom he led.#4:16 Or “everyone who lived before these [kings].” But those who will come later will not be happy with the successor. Even this is pointless. ⌞It’s like⌟ trying to catch the wind.
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Ecclesiastes 4
4
1 Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold, the tears of those who were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter. 2Therefore I praised the dead who have been long dead more than the living who are yet alive. 3Yes, better than them both is him who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun. 4Then I saw all the labour and achievement that is the envy of a man’s neighbour. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
5 The fool folds his hands together and ruins himself. 6Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labour and chasing after wind.
7 Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun. 8There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labour, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. “For whom then do I labour and deprive my soul of enjoyment?” This also is vanity. Yes, it is a miserable business.
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labour. 10For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and doesn’t have another to lift him up. 11Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one keep warm alone? 12If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
13 Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who doesn’t know how to receive admonition any more. 14For out of prison he came out to be king; yes, even in his kingdom he was born poor. 15I saw all the living who walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the other, who succeeded him. 16There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was—yet those who come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
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