1 GLT And I turned, I, and I saw all the oppressions that were being done under the sun. And, look, the tears of the oppressed and there was no comforter for them. And from the hand of the ones oppressing them{ was} strength and there was no comforter for 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 GLT So I praised, I, those who were dead, who have already died, more than the living, who they are still alive. BSB BSB: So I admired the dead, who had already died, above the living, who are still alive.
3 GLT But better than{ the} two of them{ is} the one who has not yet lived, who has not seen the evil- doing that is being 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 GLT And I saw, I, every toil and every success of the deed, that it{ was} the envy of a person from his friend. This also{ is} vapor and striving{ after} 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 GLT The fool is folding his hands and is eating his flesh. BSB BSB: The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.
6 GLT Better{ is} a full palm of quiet than the full hollow of both hands with toil and striving{ after} wind. BSB BSB: Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and pursuit of the wind.
7 GLT And I turned, I, and I saw a vaporous thing under the sun: BSB BSB: Again, I saw futility under the sun.
8 GLT There is one{ person} and there is not a second{ person}— even a son or brother, there is not for him— and there is no end to all his toil. Also his eye is not satisfied{ with} wealth. And why{ am} I toiling and causing my soul to lack from good things? Also this{ is} vapor and it{ is} an unpleasant business. 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 GLT Better are the two{ people} than the one{ person}, that there is for them a good wage in exchange for their toil. BSB BSB: Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.
10 GLT For if they fall, the one{ person} will lift up his companion, but woe to him, the one{ person} that will fall, but there is no second{ person} 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 GLT Also, if two{ people} lie down, then there is warmth for them, but for{ the} one{ person}— how will there be warmth? BSB BSB: Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone?
12 GLT And if he will overpower him, the one{ person}, the two{ people} will stand against him, and the three- fold rope will not be torn in two quickly. BSB BSB: And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
13 GLT Better is a poor but wise child than an old but foolish king who does not yet know{ how} to be warned. 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 GLT For from the house of those who are imprisoned he came forth to become king, yet even in his kingdom he was born poor. BSB BSB: For the youth has come from the prison to the kingship, though he was born poor in his own kingdom.
15 GLT I saw all the living, those walking around under the sun, with{ that} second child who will stand under him. BSB BSB: I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed this second one, the youth who succeeded the king.
16 GLT There{ was} no end to all the people, to all who were to their faces. Even the ones{ who will be} afterward will not rejoice in him, because even this{ is} vapor and striving{ after} 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.