Two [are] better than the one, for they enjoy a better reward for their toil.

{The fool refuses to work with his hands, so he has nothing to eat except his own skin}!

Better [is] one handful with peace than two fists full with toil and chasing wind.

Sometimes a man is all alone with no companion; he also has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eye is not satisfied with wealth. [He laments,] "For whom am I toiling and depriving {myself} of pleasure?" This also [is] vanity--it is an unhappy business!

I turned again and saw another vanity under the sun.

A poor but wise youth [is] better than an old but foolish king who no longer knows {how to receive advice}.

I looked again, and I saw all the oppression that occurs under the sun. {I saw the tears of the oppressed-- no one comforts them! Those who oppress them are powerful-- no one can comfort them}!

For if one falls, his companion may help him up. But pity the one who falls and there is {no one} to help him up.

There is no end to all the people, to all who were before him. Yet the later generation will not rejoice in him, for this also [is] vanity and chasing wind!

Also if two lie together, {they can keep each other warm}. But how can one person be warm?

For he came out of the prison house to reign, {since he was born poor in his kingdom}.

I also realized that all [of the] toil and all [of] the skillful work that is done--it [is] envy between one man and {another}. This also [is] vanity and chasing wind!

So I deemed the dead who have already died more [fortunate] than the living who are still alive.

I saw all the living who move about under the sun with the youth; the second who will stand in his place.

But better [off] than both of them is the one who has not yet been born and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.

{Although an assailant may overpower one person, two may withstand him}. A threefold cord {is not easily broken}!