¹ Then again, I, considered all the oppressive deeds which were done under the sun,—and lo! the tears of the oppressed, and they have no comforter, and, on the side of their oppressing, is power, and they have no comforter.

² So, I, pronounced happy the dead, who were, already, dead,—more than the living, who were living, still;

³ and, as better than both, him who had not yet come into being,—who had not seen the vexatious work, which was done under the sun.

⁴ Then saw, I, all the toil and all the skill of the work, that, for this, a man was envied of his neighbour,—even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.

⁵ The dullard, claspeth his hands, and consumeth his own flesh.

⁶ Better a handful—with quietness,—than both hands, full—with toil, and feeding on wind.

⁷ Then again, I, looked at a vain thing under the sun:—

⁸ Here is one, without a second, even son or brother, he hath none, yet is there no end to all his toil, even his eye, is not satisfied with riches,—neither [saith he] For whom, am I toiling, and letting my soul want good? Even this, was vanity, yea a vexatious employment, it was!

⁹ Better are two, than one,—in that they have a good reward for their toil.

¹⁰ For, if the one should fall, [the other] would raise up his companion,—but alas! for him who is alone when he falleth, with no second to raise him up!

¹¹ Moreover, if two lie together, then have they warmth,—but how can, one, have warmth?

¹² And, though an enemy should prevail against one, two, might make a stand before him,—and, a threefold cord, cannot soon be broken.

¹³ Better a boy poor and wise,—than a king, old and stupid, who knoweth not how to take warning any longer.

¹⁴ For, out of prison, came he forth to reign, yea, even in his own kingdom, was he born poor.

¹⁵ I saw all the living, who were going hither and thither under the sun,—[that they were] with the boy who was to be the second, who was to stand in the other’s place:—

¹⁶ There was no end to all the people, to all before whom he came, yet, they who should come later, would not rejoice in him,—surely, even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.