| King James Bible | New International Version |
| 1So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had 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. |
| 2Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive. | 2And I declared that the dead, who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive. |
| 3Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work 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. |
| 4Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit. | 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 foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh. | 5Fools fold their hands and ruin themselves. |
| 6Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit. | 6Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind. |
| 7Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun. | 7Again I saw something meaningless under the sun: |
| 8There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail. | 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 reward for their labour. | 9Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: |
| 10For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not 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 together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? | 11Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? |
| 12And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord 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 and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished. | 13Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning. |
| 14For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor. | 14The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. |
| 15I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead. | 15I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king's successor. |
| 16There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit. | 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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