| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Then I returned and considered all the oppression that is done under the sun: And look! The tears of the oppressed, But they have no comforter— On the side of their oppressors there is power, But they have no comforter. | 1Again, I observed all the acts of oppression being done under the sun. Look at the tears of those who are oppressed; they have no one to comfort them. Power is with those who oppress them; they have no one to comfort them. |
| 2Therefore I praised the dead who were already dead, More than the living who are still alive. | 2So I admired the dead, who have already died, more than the living, who are still alive. |
| 3Yet, better than both is he who has never existed, Who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun. | 3But better than either of them is the one who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil activity that is done under the sun. |
| 4Again, I saw that for all toil and every skillful work a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind. | 4I saw that all labor and all skillful work is due to a man's jealousy of his friend. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. |
| 5The fool folds his hands And consumes his own flesh. | 5The fool folds his arms and consumes his own flesh. |
| 6Better a handful with quietness Than both hands full, together with toil and grasping for the wind. | 6Better one handful with rest than two handfuls with effort and a pursuit of the wind. |
| 7Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun: | 7Again, I saw futility under the sun: |
| 8There is one alone, without companion: He has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end to all his labors, Nor is his eye satisfied with riches. But he never asks, “For whom do I toil and deprive myself of good?” This also is vanity and a grave misfortune. | 8There is a person without a companion, without even a son or brother, and though there is no end to all his struggles, his eyes are still not content with riches. "So who am I struggling for," he asks, "and depriving myself from good?" This too is futile and a miserable task. |
| 9Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. | 9Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. |
| 10For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. | 10For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up. |
| 11Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? | 11Also, if two lie down together, they can keep warm; but how can one person alone keep warm? |
| 12Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken. | 12And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken. |
| 13Better a poor and wise youth Than an old and foolish king who will be admonished no more. | 13Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer pays attention to warnings. |
| 14For he comes out of prison to be king, Although he was born poor in his kingdom. | 14For he came from prison to be king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom. |
| 15I saw all the living who walk under the sun; They were with the second youth who stands in his place. | 15I saw all the living, who move about under the sun, follow a second youth who succeeds him. |
| 16There was no end of all the people over whom he was made king; Yet those who come afterward will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and grasping for the wind. | 16There is no limit to all the people who were before them, yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. |
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