Ecclesiastes/Qohelet 4

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Then again, I contemplate al the oppression that is committed under the sun. Take for instance thetears of the oppressed. No one to comfort them! The power their oppressors wield. No one to comfort them!	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 So, rather than the living who stil have lives to live, I congratulate the dead who have already metdeath;	2 And those now dead, I declared more fortunate in death than are the living to be still alive.
3 happier than both of these are those who are yet unborn and have not seen the evil things that are doneunder 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 I see that al effort and all achievement spring from mutual jealousy. This too is futility and chasing afterthe wind.	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 folds his arms and eats his own flesh away.	5 "The fool folds his arms and consumes his own flesh"--
6 Better one hand full of repose than two hands ful of achievements to chase after the wind.	6 Better is one handful with tranquility than two with toil and a chase after wind!
7 And something else futile I observe under the sun:	7 Again I found this vanity under the sun:
8 a person is quite alone -- no child, no brother; and yet there is no end to his efforts, his eyes can neverhave their fil of riches. For whom, then, do I work so hard and grudge myself pleasure? This too is futile, a sorry business.	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 Better two than one alone, since thus their work is real y rewarding.	9 Two are better than one: they get a good wage for their labor.
10 If one should fal , the other helps him up; but what of the person with no one to help him up when hefal s?	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 sleep together they keep warm, but how can anyone keep warm alone?	11 So also, if two sleep together, they keep each other warm. How can one alone keep warm?
12 Where one alone would be overcome, two wil put up resistance; and a threefold cord is not quicklybroken.	12 Where a lone man may be overcome, two together can resist. A three-ply cord is not easily broken.
13 Better a youngster poor and wise than a monarch old and sil y who wil no longer take advice-	13 Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows caution;
14 even though stepping from prison to the throne, even though born a beggar in that kingdom.	14 for from a prison house one comes forth to rule, since even in his royalty he was poor at birth.
15 I observe that al who live and move under the sun support the young newcomer who takes over.	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 He takes his place at the head of innumerable subjects; but his successors wil not think the morekindly of him for that. This too is futile and chasing after the wind.	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 Watch your step when you go to the House of God: drawing near to listen is better than the offering ofa sacrifice by fools, though they do not know that they are doing wrong.	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.