Ecclesiastes 4

New International Version

Oppression, Toil, Friendlessness

4 Again I looked and saw all the oppression^(A) that was taking place under the sun:

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)
²And I declared that the dead,^(C)
    who had already died,
are happier than the living,
    who are still alive.^(D)
³But 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)

⁴And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.^(G)

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

⁷Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:

⁸There 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!

⁹Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their labor:
¹⁰If either of them falls down,
    one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
    and has no one to help them up.
¹¹Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
    But how can one keep warm alone?
¹²Though one may be overpowered,
    two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Advancement Is Meaningless

¹³Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning. ¹⁴The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. ¹⁵I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor. ¹⁶There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Psalm 132

New International Version

Psalm 132^(A)

A song of ascents.

¹Lord, remember David
and all his self-denial.^(B)

²He swore an oath to the Lord,
    he made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:^(C)
³“I will not enter my house^(D)
    or go to my bed,
⁴I will allow no sleep to my eyes
    or slumber to my eyelids,
⁵till I find a place^(E) for the Lord,
    a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

⁶We heard it in Ephrathah,^(F)
    we came upon it in the fields of Jaar:^[a]^(G)
⁷“Let us go to his dwelling place,^(H)
    let us worship at his footstool,^(I) saying,
⁸‘Arise, Lord,^(J) and come to your resting place,
    you and the ark of your might.
⁹May your priests be clothed with your righteousness;^(K)
    may your faithful people^(L) sing for joy.’”

¹⁰For the sake of your servant David,
do not reject your anointed one.

¹¹The Lord swore an oath to David,^(M)
    a sure oath he will not revoke:
“One of your own descendants^(N)
    I will place on your throne.
¹²If your sons keep my covenant^(O)
    and the statutes I teach them,
then their sons will sit
    on your throne^(P) for ever and ever.”

¹³For the Lord has chosen Zion,^(Q)
    he has desired it for his dwelling,^(R) saying,
¹⁴“This is my resting place for ever and ever;^(S)
    here I will sit enthroned,^(T) for I have desired it.
¹⁵I will bless her with abundant provisions;
    her poor I will satisfy with food.^(U)
¹⁶I will clothe her priests^(V) with salvation,
    and her faithful people will ever sing for joy.^(W)

¹⁷“Here I will make a horn^[b] grow^(X) for David
and set up a lamp^(Y) for my anointed one.^(Z)
¹⁸I will clothe his enemies with shame,^(AA)
but his head will be adorned with a radiant crown.”^(AB)

Footnotes

Psalm 132:6 Or heard of it in Ephrathah, / we found it in the fields of Jearim. (See 1 Chron. 13:5,6) (And no quotation marks around verses 7-9)
Psalm 132:17 Horn here symbolizes strong one, that is, king.