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Oppression, Toil, Friendlessness
Again I looked and saw all the oppression 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.
Again I looked and saw all the oppression 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.
Evil Under the Sun
Again I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them.
Again I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them.
And I declared that the dead,
who had already died,
are happier than the living,
who are still alive.
who had already died,
are happier than the living,
who are still alive.
And I thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive.
But better than both
is the one who has never been born,
who has not seen the evil
that is done under the sun.
is the one who has never been born,
who has not seen the evil
that is done under the sun.
But better than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.
And 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.
Better one handful with tranquillity
than two handfuls with toil
and chasing after the wind.
than two handfuls with toil
and chasing after the wind.
Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.
There was a man all alone;
he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
yet his eyes were not content 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!
he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
yet his eyes were not content 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!
one person who has no other, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vanity and an unhappy business.
Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
because they have a good return for their labor:
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.
If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
But how can one keep warm alone?
Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him — a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Advancement Is Meaningless
Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning.
Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning.
Better was a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how to take advice.
The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom.
For he went from prison to the throne, though in his own kingdom he had been born poor.
I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor.
There 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.
There was no end of all the people, all of whom he led. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.