| New King James Version | NET 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. | 1So I again considered all the oppression that continually occurs on earth. This is what I saw: The oppressed were in tears, but no one was comforting them; no one delivers them from the power of their oppressors. |
| 2Therefore I praised the dead who were already dead, More than the living who are still alive. | 2So I considered those who are dead and gone more fortunate than those 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 both is the one who has not been born and has not seen the evil things that are done on earth. |
| 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. | 4Then I considered all the skillful work that is done: Surely it is nothing more than competition between one person and another. This also is profitless--like chasing the wind. |
| 5The fool folds his hands And consumes his own flesh. | 5The fool folds his hands and does no work, so he has nothing to eat but his own flesh. |
| 6Better a handful with quietness Than both hands full, together with toil and grasping for the wind. | 6Better is one handful with some rest than two hands full of toil and chasing the wind. |
| 7Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun: | 7So I again considered another futile thing on earth: |
| 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. | 8A man who is all alone with no companion, he has no children nor siblings; yet there is no end to all his toil, and he is never satisfied with riches. He laments, "For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?" This also is futile and a burdensome task! |
| 9Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. | 9Two people are better than one, because they can reap more benefit from their labor. |
| 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 they fall, one will help his companion up, but pity the person who falls down and has no one to help him up. |
| 11Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? | 11Furthermore, if two lie down together, they can keep each other warm, but how can one person keep warm by himself? |
| 12Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken. | 12Although an assailant may overpower one person, two can withstand him. Moreover, a three-stranded cord is not quickly broken. |
| 13Better a poor and wise youth Than an old and foolish king who will be admonished no more. | 13A poor but wise youth is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive advice. |
| 14For he comes out of prison to be king, Although he was born poor in his kingdom. | 14For he came out of prison to become king, even though he had been born poor in what would become his kingdom. |
| 15I saw all the living who walk under the sun; They were with the second youth who stands in his place. | 15I considered all the living who walk on earth, as well as the successor who would arise in his place. |
| 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 end to all the people nor to the past generations, yet future generations will not rejoice in him. This also is profitless and like chasing the wind. |
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