1 Again 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.2 And I declared that the dead, who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive.3 But better than both is the one who has never been born, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.4 And 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.5 Fools fold their hands and ruin themselves.6 Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.7 Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:8 There 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!9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.13 Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning.14 The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom.15 I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king's successor.16 There 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.

1 [Verti me ad alia, et vidi calumniasqu sub sole geruntur,et lacrimas innocentium,et neminem consolatorem,nec posse resistere eorum violenti,cunctorum auxilio destitutos,2 et laudavi magis mortuos quam viventes ;3 et feliciorem utroque judicaviqui necdum natus est,nec vidit mala qu sub sole fiunt.4 Rursum contemplatus sum omnes labores hominum,et industrias animadverti patere invidi proximi ;et in hoc ergo vanitas et cura superflua est.5 Stultus complicat manus suas,et comedit carnes suas, dicens :6 Melior est pugillus cum requie,quam plena utraque manus cum labore et afflictione animi.7 Considerans, reperi et aliam vanitatem sub sole.8 Unus est, et secundum non habet,non filium, non fratrem,et tamen laborare non cessat,nec satiantur oculi ejus divitiis ;nec recogitat, dicens :Cui laboro, et fraudo animam meam bonis ?In hoc quoque vanitas est et afflictio pessima.]9 [Melius est ergo duos esse simul quam unum ;habent enim emolumentum societatis su.10 Si unus ceciderit, ab altero fulcietur.V soli, quia cum ceciderit, non habet sublevantem se.11 Et si dormierint duo, fovebuntur mutuo ;unus quomodo calefiet ?12 Et si quispiam prvaluerit contra unum,duo resistunt ei ;funiculus triplex difficile rumpitur.13 Melior est puer pauper et sapiens,rege sene et stulto,qui nescit prvidere in posterum.14 Quod de carcere catenisque interdum quis egrediatur ad regnum ;et alius, natus in regno, inopia consumatur.15 Vidi cunctos viventes qui ambulant sub solecum adolescente secundo, qui consurget pro eo.16 Infinitus numerus est populiomnium qui fuerunt ante eum,et qui postea futuri sunt non ltabuntur in eo ;sed et hoc vanitas et afflictio spiritus.]17 [Custodi pedem tuum ingrediens domum Dei,et appropinqua ut audias.Multo enim melior est obedientia quam stultorum victim,qui nesciunt quid faciunt mali.]