| New Living Translation | King James Bible |
| 1Again, I observed all the oppression that takes place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, with no one to comfort them. The oppressors have great power, and their victims are helpless. | 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. |
| 2So I concluded that the dead are better off than the living. | 2Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive. |
| 3But most fortunate of all are those who are not yet born. For they have not seen all the evil that is done under the sun. | 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. |
| 4Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind. | 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. |
| 5“Fools fold their idle hands, leading them to ruin.” | 5The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh. |
| 6And yet, “Better to have one handful with quietness than two handfuls with hard work and chasing the wind.” The Advantages of Companionship | 6Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit. |
| 7I observed yet another example of something meaningless under the sun. | 7Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun. |
| 8This is the case of a man who is all alone, without a child or a brother, yet who works hard to gain as much wealth as he can. But then he asks himself, “Who am I working for? Why am I giving up so much pleasure now?” It is all so meaningless and depressing. | 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. |
| 9Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. | 9Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. |
| 10If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. | 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. |
| 11Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? | 11Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? |
| 12A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. The Futility of Political Power | 12And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. |
| 13It is better to be a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king who refuses all advice. | 13Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished. |
| 14Such a youth could rise from poverty and succeed. He might even become king, though he has been in prison. | 14For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor. |
| 15But then everyone rushes to the side of yet another youth who replaces him. | 15I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead. |
| 16Endless crowds stand around him, but then another generation grows up and rejects him, too. So it is all meaningless—like chasing the wind. | 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. |
| Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. |
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