¹Then 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 .

⁵The fool folds his hands together and ruins himself .

⁶Better is a handful , with quietness , than two handfuls with labour and chasing after wind .

⁷Then 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 .

⁹Two 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 .

¹³Better 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 .