Ecclesiastes/Qohelet 4

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
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!	1 Again I saw all the oppressions that are practiced under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them.
2 And those now dead, I declared more fortunate in death than are the living to be still alive.	2 And I thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive;
3 And better off than both is the yet unborn, who has not seen the wicked work that is done under the sun.	3 but better than both is he who has not yet been, and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.
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.	4 Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man's envy of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
5 "The fool folds his arms and consumes his own flesh"--	5 The fool folds his hands, and eats his own flesh.
6 Better is one handful with tranquility than two with toil and a chase after wind!	6 Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.
7 Again I found this vanity under the sun:	7 Again, I saw vanity under the sun:
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.	8 a person who has no one, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, "For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?" This also is vanity and an unhappy business.
9 Two are better than one: they get a good wage for their labor.	9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.
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.	10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up.
11 So also, if two sleep together, they keep each other warm. How can one alone keep warm?	11 Again, if two lie together, they are warm; but how can one be warm alone?
12 Where a lone man may be overcome, two together can resist. A three-ply cord is not easily broken.	12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him. A threefold cord is not quickly broken.
13 Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows caution;	13 Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who will no longer take advice,
14 for from a prison house one comes forth to rule, since even in his royalty he was poor at birth.	14 even though he had gone from prison to the throne or in his own kingdom had been born poor.
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.	15 I saw all the living who move about under the sun, as well as that youth, who was to stand in his place;
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.	16 there was no end of all the people; he was over all of them. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving 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.