| Berean Study Bible | New International Version |
| 1Again I looked, and I considered all the oppression taking place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; the power lay in the hands of their oppressors, and there was no comforter. | 1Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed-- and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors-- and they have no comforter. |
| 2So I admired the dead, who had already died, above the living, who are still alive. | 2And I declared that the dead, who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive. |
| 3But better than both is he who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun. | 3But better than both is the one who has never been born, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun. |
| 4I saw that all labor and success spring from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. | 4And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person's envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. |
| 5The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh. | 5Fools fold their hands and ruin themselves. |
| 6Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and pursuit of the wind. | 6Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind. |
| 7Again, I saw futility under the sun. | 7Again I saw something meaningless under the sun: |
| 8There is a man all alone, without even a son or brother. And though there is no end to his labor, his eyes are still not content with his wealth: “For whom do I toil and bereave my soul of enjoyment?” This too is futile—a miserable task. | 8There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. "For whom am I toiling," he asked, "and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?" This too is meaningless-- a miserable business! |
| 9Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. | 9Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: |
| 10For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up! | 10If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. |
| 11Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone? | 11Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? |
| 12And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken. | 12Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. |
| 13Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take a warning. | 13Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning. |
| 14For the youth has come from the prison to the kingship, though he was born poor in his own kingdom. | 14The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. |
| 15I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed this second one, the youth who succeeded the king. | 15I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king's successor. |
| 16There is no limit to all the people who were before them. Yet the successor will not be celebrated by those who come even later. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. | 16There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. |
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