1 Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: |
2 And I declared that the dead,
who had already died,
are happier than the living,
who are still alive. |
3 But better than both
is he who has not yet been,
who has not seen the evil
that is done under the sun. |
4 And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man's envy of his neighbor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. |
5 The fool folds his hands
and ruins himself. |
6 Better one handful with tranquillity
than two handfuls with toil
and chasing after the wind. |
7 Again I saw something meaningless under the sun: |
8 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! |
9 Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their work: |
10 If one falls down,
his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up! |
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone? |
12 Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. |
13 Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take warning. |
14 The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. |
15 I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king's successor. |
16 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. |
