1Then I looked again and saw all the oppression that takes place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them. Power was on the side of their oppressors, but the oppressed had no one to comfort them.
2So I concluded that the dead, who have already died, are more fortunate than the living, who are still alive.
3But even happier than both is the one who has not yet been born and has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.
4Then I saw that all hard work and all success come from one person's envy of another. This too is meaningless, like chasing the wind.
5The fool folds his hands and does nothing, and so he ruins himself.
6Better is one handful with peace of mind than two handfuls with hard work and chasing the wind.
7Then I looked again and saw another meaningless thing under the sun.
8There is a solitary person who has no son or brother. There is no end to all his toil, yet his eyes are never satisfied with wealth. He asks himself, 'For whom am I working so hard and depriving myself of enjoyment?' This too is meaningless; it is a miserable way to live.
9Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.
10For if one falls, the other can help him up. But pity the person who falls and has no one to help him up.
11Also, if two people lie down together, they can keep each other warm, but how can one person keep warm alone?
12If someone attacks a person who is alone, two can stand against the attacker. And a rope made of three strands is not easily broken.
13A poor but wise young person is better than an old, foolish king who no longer listens to advice.
14For this young person might rise from prison to become king, even if they were born poor in the king's own kingdom.
15I saw all the people living under the sun following this young person, the successor who took his place.
16There were countless people, all those over whom he ruled. Yet, those who came after him would not be pleased with him. This, too, is pointless and like chasing after the wind.