Then I looked again at all the acts of ^aoppression which were being done under the sun. And behold, I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had ^bno one to comfort them; and power was on the side of their oppressors, but they had no one to comfort them. 2 So ^aI congratulated the dead who are already dead, more than the living who are still living. 3 But ^abetter 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 ^askill which is done is the result of rivalry between a person and his neighbor. This too is ^bfutility and striving after wind. 5 The fool ^afolds his hands and ^bconsumes his own flesh. 6 One hand full of rest is ^abetter than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.

7 Then I looked again at futility under the sun. 8 There was a man without a ¹dependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, ^ahis eyes were not satisfied with riches, and he never asked, “And ^bfor whom do I labor and deprive myself of pleasure?” This too is futility, and it is an ^cunhappy task.

9 Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor; 10 for if ¹either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not ²another to lift him up! 11 Furthermore, if two lie down together they ¹keep warm, but ^ahow can one be warm alone? 12 And if ¹one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

13 A ^apoor yet wise youth is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive ¹instruction— 14 for he has come ^aout of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom. 15 I have seen all those living under the sun move to the side of the second youth who ¹replaces him. 16 There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them. Even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him; for this too is ^afutility and striving after wind.