| New American Standard Bible 1995 | New Living Translation |
| 1Then I looked again at all the acts of oppression which were being done under the sun. And behold I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had no one to comfort them; and on the side of their oppressors was power, but they had no one to comfort them. | 1Again, I observed all the oppression that takes place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, with no one to comfort them. The oppressors have great power, and their victims are helpless. |
| 2So I congratulated the dead who are already dead more than the living who are still living. | 2So I concluded that the dead are better off than the living. |
| 3But better 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. | 3But most fortunate of all are those who are not yet born. For they have not seen all the evil that is done under the sun. |
| 4I have seen that every labor and every skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a man and his neighbor. This too is vanity and striving after wind. | 4Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind. |
| 5The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh. | 5“Fools fold their idle hands, leading them to ruin.” |
| 6One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind. | 6And yet, “Better to have one handful with quietness than two handfuls with hard work and chasing the wind.” The Advantages of Companionship |
| 7Then I looked again at vanity under the sun. | 7I observed yet another example of something meaningless under the sun. |
| 8There was a certain man without a dependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches and he never asked, "And for whom am I laboring and depriving myself of pleasure?" This too is vanity and it is a grievous task. | 8This is the case of a man who is all alone, without a child or a brother, yet who works hard to gain as much wealth as he can. But then he asks himself, “Who am I working for? Why am I giving up so much pleasure now?” It is all so meaningless and depressing. |
| 9Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. | 9Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. |
| 10For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. | 10If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. |
| 11Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? | 11Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? |
| 12And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart. | 12A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. The Futility of Political Power |
| 13A poor yet wise lad is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive instruction. | 13It is better to be a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king who refuses all advice. |
| 14For he has come out of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom. | 14Such a youth could rise from poverty and succeed. He might even become king, though he has been in prison. |
| 15I have seen all the living under the sun throng to the side of the second lad who replaces him. | 15But then everyone rushes to the side of yet another youth who replaces him. |
| 16There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them, and even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him, for this too is vanity and striving after wind. | 16Endless crowds stand around him, but then another generation grows up and rejects him, too. So it is all meaningless—like chasing the wind. |
| New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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