Ecclesiastes, Chapter 4:

Verses from Ecclesiastes, Chapter 4 of the book of Ecclesiastes of the Bible.

Observing life

• 1. Again, I beheld all the oppression that takes place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed, and there was no comforter for them; power was on the side of their oppressors, and there was no one to console them.
• 2. Therefore, I considered the dead more fortunate than the living, as they still have to face life!
• 3. However, better than both is he who has not yet been born, who has not seen the evil that perpetuates under the sun.
• 4. I realized that all toil and all achievement are the result of competition between people. However, this is also absurd, it is like chasing the wind.
• 5. The fool crosses his arms and ends up ruining his own life.
• 6. It is better to have a handful with ease than two handfuls at the cost of a lot of effort and chasing the wind.
• 7. I discovered yet another absurd situation under the sun:
• 8. There was a completely lonely man, without children or brothers. He worked tirelessly, but his eyes were not satisfied with his wealth. He didn’t even ask: “Who am I working so hard for, and why am I giving up fun times?” This too is futile; It's such a thankless job!
• 9. It's better to have company than to be alone, because the fruit of two people's work is greater.
• 10. If someone falls, their friend can help them get up. But unfortunate is the one who falls and has no one to help him get back up!
• 11. And if two sleep together, they will keep each other warm. However, how can a person keep warm alone?
• 12. A solitary individual can be defeated, but two together can defend themselves. A three-ply cord does not break easily.
• 13. A poor and wise young man is preferable to an old and foolish king who no longer accepts correction.
• 14. This young man may have been released from prison and ascended to the throne, or he may have been born into poverty in that king's country.
• 15. I realized that even so, the people who lived under the sun followed the young man, the king's successor.
• 16. The number of those who followed him was countless. However, the next generation was not satisfied with the successor. That doesn't make sense either, it's like chasing the wind.