This edition follows the Hebrew versification; the traditional number is given in brackets.
1Again I turned and saw all the acts of oppression that are done under the sun. And look: the tears of the oppressed, and no one to comfort them; and power in the hand of their oppressors, and no one to comfort them. 2And I praised the dead who have already died, more than the living who are still alive. 3And better than both of them is the one who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun. 4And I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from one man’s envy of another. This too is a breath and a chasing after wind. 5The fool folds his hands and eats his own flesh. 6Better a handful with quiet than two fistfuls with toil and a chasing after wind. 7And again I turned and saw a breath under the sun. 8There is one man, all alone, with no second — no son and no brother either — and there is no end to all his toil, and his eye is never satisfied with riches. “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of good?” This too is a breath, and a sorry business. 9Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to the one who falls alone, with no second to lift him up. 11Again: if two lie down together, they are warm; but how can one alone be warm? 12And if someone overpowers one of them, the two will stand against him; and a cord of three strands is not quickly torn. 13Better a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to be warned. 14For he came out of the prison house to reign, though in that very kingdom he had been born poor. 15I saw all the living who walk about under the sun, along with the second youth who was to stand up in his place. 16There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them; yet those who come after will not rejoice in him. Surely this too is a breath and a chasing after wind.
Watch your foot in the house of God
17[5:1]Watch where you set your foot when you go to the house of God. To draw near and listen is better than the sacrifice fools give, for they do not know that they are doing evil.
