¹Again, I observed all the acts of oppression being done under the sun. Look at the tears of those who are oppressed; they have no one to comfort them. Power is with those who oppress them; they have no one to comfort them.[#4:1 Jb 35:9; Ec 3:16; 5:8]

²So I commended the dead, who have already died, more than the living, who are still alive.[#4:2 Jb 3:11–26]

³But better than either of them is the one who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.[#4:3 Ec 6:3; Lk 23:29]

The Loneliness of Wealth

⁴I saw that all labour and all skilful work is due to one person’s jealousy of another. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. ,[#4:4 1Sm 18:9; Ec 2:21; Ac 13:45; 2Co 12:20; #4:4 Or a feeding on wind , or an affliction of spirit ; also in vv. 6,16; #4:4 Ec 1:14]

⁵The fool folds his arms[#4:5 Pr 6:10; 24:33]

and consumes his own flesh.

⁶Better one handful with rest

than two handfuls with effort and a pursuit of the wind.

⁷Again, I saw futility under the sun:

⁸There is a person without a companion, without even a son or brother, and though there is no end to all his struggles, his eyes are still not content with riches. ‘Who am I struggling for,’ he asks, ‘and depriving myself of good things? ’ This too is futile and a miserable task.[#4:8 Lit person, but there is not a second,; #4:8 Pr 27:20; Ec 1:8; 5:10]

⁹Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts.

¹⁰For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up.

¹¹Also, if two lie down together, they can keep warm; but how can one person alone keep warm?[#4:11 1Kg 1:1–4]

¹²And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.

¹³Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer pays attention to warnings.[#4:13 Ec 9:15]

¹⁴For he came from prison to be king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom.[#4:14 Gn 41:14,41–43]

¹⁵I saw all the living, who move about under the sun, follow a second youth who succeeds him.[#4:15 Lit with]

¹⁶There is no limit to all the people who were before them, yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.[#4:16 Ec 1:14]