The Evil of Oppression 1 UEB Once again I thought about all the oppression that is done under the sun. And behold, the tears of oppressed people, and they had no one to comfort them! Power was in the hand of their oppressors, and there was no one to comfort them! BSB BSB: Again 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.
2 UEB So I considered those who are already dead more fortunate than the living, who are still alive. BSB BSB: So I admired the dead, who had already died, above the living, who are still alive.
3 UEB However, more fortunate than both of them is the one who has not yet lived, the one who has not seen any of the evil acts that are done under the sun. BSB BSB: But better than both is he who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.
4 UEB Then I saw that every act of labor and every skillful work became the envy of one's neighbor. This also is vapor and an attempt to shepherd the wind. BSB BSB: I 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.
5 UEB The fool folds his hands and does not work, so his food is his own flesh. BSB BSB: The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.
6 UEB But better is a handful of profit with quiet work than two handfuls with the work that tries to shepherd the wind. BSB BSB: Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and pursuit of the wind.
7 UEB Then I thought again about more futility, more vanishing vapor under the sun. BSB BSB: Again, I saw futility under the sun.
8 UEB There is the kind of man who is alone. He does not have anyone, no son or brother. There is no end to all his work, and his eyes are not satisfied with gaining wealth. He wonders, "For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?" This also is vapor, a bad situation. BSB BSB: There 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.
9 UEB Two people work better than one; together they can earn a good pay for their labor. BSB BSB: Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.
10 UEB For if one falls, the other can lift up his friend. However, sorrow follows the one who is alone when he falls if there is no one to lift him up. BSB BSB: For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up!
11 UEB If two lie down together, they can be warm, but how can one be warm alone? BSB BSB: Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone?
12 UEB One man alone can be overpowered, but two can withstand an attack, and a three-strand rope is not quickly broken. BSB BSB: And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
The Futility of Power 13 UEB It is better to be a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to listen to warnings. BSB BSB: Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take a warning.
14 UEB This is true even if the young man becomes king from prison, or even if he was born poor in his kingdom. BSB BSB: For the youth has come from the prison to the kingship, though he was born poor in his own kingdom.
15 UEB I saw everyone who was alive and was walking around under the sun, along with a youth who was to rise up to take his place. BSB BSB: I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed this second one, the youth who succeeded the king.
16 UEB There is no end to all the people who want to obey the new king, but later many of them will no longer praise him. Surely this situation is vapor and an attempt to shepherd the wind. BSB BSB: There 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.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.