| English Standard Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Again I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them. | 1Again I looked, and I considered all the oppression taking place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; the power lay in the hands of their oppressors, and there was no comforter. |
| 2And I thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive. | 2So I admired the dead, who had already died, above the living, who are still alive. |
| 3But better than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun. | 3But better than both is he who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun. |
| 4Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind. | 4I saw that all labor and success spring from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. |
| 5The fool folds his hands and eats his own flesh. | 5The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh. |
| 6Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind. | 6Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and pursuit of the wind. |
| 7Again, I saw vanity under the sun: | 7Again, I saw futility under the sun. |
| 8one person who has no other, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vanity and an unhappy business. | 8There is a man all alone, without even a son or brother. And though there is no end to his labor, his eyes are still not content with his wealth: “For whom do I toil and bereave my soul of enjoyment?” This too is futile—a miserable task. |
| 9Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. | 9Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. |
| 10For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! | 10For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up! |
| 11Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? | 11Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone? |
| 12And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken. | 12And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken. |
| 13Better was a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how to take advice. | 13Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take a warning. |
| 14For he went from prison to the throne, though in his own kingdom he had been born poor. | 14For the youth has come from the prison to the kingship, though he was born poor in his own kingdom. |
| 15I saw all the living who move about under the sun, along with that youth who was to stand in the king’s place. | 15I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed this second one, the youth who succeeded the king. |
| 16There was no end of all the people, all of whom he led. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind. | 16There is no limit to all the people who were before them. Yet the successor will not be celebrated by those who come even later. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | The Berean Bible (Berean Study Bible (BSB) © 2016, 2018 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. |
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