1 Then I looked again at all the acts of AJob 35:9; Ps 12:5; Eccl 3:16; 5:8; Is 5:7oppression which were being done under the sun. And behold I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had BJer 16:7; Lam 1:9no one to comfort them; and on the side of their oppressors was power, but they had no one to comfort them. 2 So AJob 3:11-26; Eccl 2:17; 7:1I congratulated the dead who are already dead more than the living who are still living. 3 But AJob 3:11-22; Eccl 6:3; Luke 23:29better off than both of them is the one who has never existed, who has never seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.

4 I have seen that every labor and every AEccl 2:21skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a man and his neighbor. This too is 1Or futility, and so throughout the chBEccl 1:14vanity and striving after wind. 5 The fool AProv 6:10; 24:33folds his hands and BIs 9:20consumes his own flesh. 6 One hand full of rest is AProv 15:16, 17; 16:8better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.

7 Then I looked again at vanity under the sun. 8 There was a certain man without a 1Lit seconddependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, AProv 27:20; Eccl 1:8; 5:10his eyes were not satisfied with riches and he never asked, “And BEccl 2:21for whom am I laboring and depriving myself of pleasure?” This too is vanity and it is a CEccl 1:13grievous task.

9 Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. 10 For if 1Lit they falleither of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not 2Lit a secondanother to lift him up. 11 Furthermore, if two lie down together they 1Lit have warmthkeep warm, but A1 Kin 1:1-4how can one be warm alone? 12 And if 1Lit heone can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

13 A AEccl 7:19; 9:15poor yet wise lad is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive 1Or warninginstruction. 14 For he has come AGen 41:14, 41-43out of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom. 15 I have seen all the living under the sun throng to the side of the second lad who 1Lit stands in his steadreplaces him. 16 There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them, and even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him, for this too is AEccl 1:14vanity and striving after wind.