Ecclesiastes/Qohelet 4

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.	1 Again I considered all the oppressions that take place under the sun: the tears of the victims with none to comfort them! From the hand of their oppressors comes violence, and there is none to comfort them!
2 Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.	2 And those now dead, I declared more fortunate in death than are the living to be still alive.
3 Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.	3 And better off than both is the yet unborn, who has not seen the wicked work that is done under the sun.
4 Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.	4 Then I saw that all toil and skillful work is the rivalry of one man for another. This also is vanity and a chase after wind.
5 The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.	5 "The fool folds his arms and consumes his own flesh"--
6 Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.	6 Better is one handful with tranquility than two with toil and a chase after wind!
7 Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.	7 Again I found this vanity under the sun:
8 There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.	8 a solitary man with no companion; with neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end to all his toil, and riches do not satisfy his greed. "For whom do I toil and deprive myself of good things?" This also is vanity and a worthless task.
9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.	9 Two are better than one: they get a good wage for their labor.
10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.	10 If the one falls, the other will lift up his companion. Woe to the solitary man! For if he should fall, he has no one to lift him up.
11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?	11 So also, if two sleep together, they keep each other warm. How can one alone keep warm?
12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.	12 Where a lone man may be overcome, two together can resist. A three-ply cord is not easily broken.
13 Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.	13 Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows caution;
14 For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor.	14 for from a prison house one comes forth to rule, since even in his royalty he was poor at birth.
15 I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead.	15 Then I saw all those who are to live and move about under the sun with the heir apparent who will succeed to his place.
16 There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.	16 There is no end to all these people, to all over whom he takes precedence; yet the later generations will not applaud him. This also is vanity and a chase after wind.
	17 Guard your step when you go to the house of God. Let your approach be obedience, rather than the fools' offering of sacrifice; for they know not how to keep from doing evil.