Ecclesiastes 4:1-8

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!