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.^(B)
2 And I declared that the dead,^(C)
    who had already died,
are happier than the living,
    who are still alive.^(D)
3 But better than both
    is the one who has never been born,^(E)
who has not seen the evil
    that is done under the sun.^(F)

⁵ Fools fold their hands^(H)
    and ruin themselves.
⁶ Better one handful with tranquillity
    than two handfuls with toil^(I)
    and chasing after the wind.

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^(J) 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.