Ecclesiastes - douay rheims

Chapter 4

¹ I turned myself to other things, and I saw the oppressions that are done under the sun, and the tears of the innocent, and they had no comforter; and they were not able to resist their violence, being destitute of help from any.
² And I praised the dead rather than the living:
³ And I judged him happier than them both, that is not yet born, nor hath seen the evils that are done under the sun.
⁴ Again I considered all the labours of men, and I remarked that their industries are exposed to the envy of their neighhour: so in this also there is vanity, and fruitless care.
⁵ The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh, saying:
⁶ Better is a handful with rest, than both hands full with labour, and vexation of mind.
⁷ Considering I found also another vanity under the sun:
⁸ There is but one, and he hath not a second, no child, no brother, and yet he ceaseth not to labour, neither are his eyes satisfied with riches, neither doth he reflect, saying: For whom do I labour, and defraud my soul of good things? in this also is vanity, and a grievous vexation.
⁹ It is better therefore that two should be together, than one: for they have the advantage of their society:
¹⁰ If one fall he shall be supported by the other: woe to him that is alone, for when he falleth, he hath none to lift him up.
¹¹ And if two lie together, they shall warm one another: how shall one alone be warmed?
¹² And if a man prevail against one, two shall withstand him: a threefold cord is not easily broken.
¹³ Better is a child that is poor and wise, than a king that is old and foolish, who knoweth not to foresee for hereafter.
¹⁴ Because out of prison and chains sometimes a man cometh forth to a kingdom: and another born king is consumed with poverty.
¹⁵ I saw all men living, that walk under the sun with the second young man, who shall rise up in his place.
¹⁶ The number of the people, of all that were before him is infinite: and they that shall come afterwards, shall not rejoice in him: but this also is vanity, and vexation of spirit.
¹⁷ Keep thy foot, when thou goest into the house of God, and draw nigh to hear. For much better is obedience, than the victims of fools, who know not what evil they do.

Ecclesiastes - webster

Chapter 4

¹ So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.
² Wherefore I praised the dead who are already dead more than the living who are yet alive.
³ Yes, better is he than both they, who hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
⁴ Again, I considered all labor, and every right work, that for this a man is envied by his neighbor. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
⁵ The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
⁶ Better is a handful with quietness, than both the hands full with toil and vexation of spirit.
⁷ Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.
⁸ There is one alone, and there is not a second; yes, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labor; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labor, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yes, it is a grievous labor.
⁹ Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor.
¹⁰ For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him to rise.
¹¹ Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?
¹² And if one prevaileth against him, two shall withstand him; and a three-fold cord is not quickly broken.
¹³ Better is a poor and a wise child, than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.
¹⁴ For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor.
¹⁵ I considered all the living who walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead.
¹⁶ There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

Ecclesiastes - world english bible

Chapter 4

¹ I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold, the tears of those who were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.
² I praised the dead who have been long dead more than the living who are yet alive.
³ better than them both is him who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
⁴ I saw all the labor and achievement that is the envy of a man's neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
⁵ fool folds his hands together and ruins himself.
⁶ is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and chasing after wind.
⁷ I returned and saw vanity under the sun.
⁸ is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. "For whom then, do I labor, and deprive my soul of enjoyment?" This also is vanity. Yes, it is a miserable business.
⁹ are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.
¹⁰ if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and doesn't have another to lift him up.
¹¹ if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one keep warm alone?
¹² a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
¹³ is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who doesn't know how to receive admonition any more.
¹⁴ out of prison he came forth to be king; yes, even in his kingdom he was born poor.
¹⁵ saw all the living who walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the other, who succeeded him.
¹⁶ was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was--yet those who come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

Ecclesiastes - darby

Chapter 4

¹ And I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors was power, and they had no comforter.
² Then I praised the dead who are already dead more than the living who are yet alive;
³ and more fortunate than both is he who hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
⁴ And I saw all labour, and all success of work, that it is man's jealousy of his neighbour. This also is vanity and pursuit of the wind.
⁵ The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
⁶ Better is a handful with quietness, than both hands full with labour and pursuit of the wind.
⁷ And I returned and saw vanity under the sun.
⁸ There is one [alone] and without a second; also he hath neither son nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour, neither is his eye satisfied with riches, and [he saith not], For whom then am I labouring, and depriving my soul of good? This also is vanity and a grievous occupation.
⁹ Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
¹⁰ For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, and who hath not another to lift him up!
¹¹ Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one alone be warm?
¹² And if a [man] overpower the one, the two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
¹³ Better is a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth no more how to be admonished.
¹⁴ For out of the prison-house he came forth to reign, although he was born poor in his kingdom.
¹⁵ I saw all the living that walk under the sun, with the child, the second, that should stand up in his stead.
¹⁶ [There is] no end of all the people, of all that stood before them; those however that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after the wind.

Ecclesiastes - american standard version

Chapter 4

¹ Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and, behold, the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.
² Wherefore I praised the dead that have been long dead more than the living that are yet alive;
³ yea, better than them both [did I esteem] him that hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
⁴ Then I saw all labor and every skilful work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
⁵ The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
⁶ Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and striving after wind.
⁷ Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.
⁸ There is one that is alone, and he hath not a second; yea, he hath neither son nor brother; yet is there no end of all his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with riches. For whom then, [saith he], do I labor, and deprive my soul of good? This also is vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.
⁹ Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.
¹⁰ For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, and hath not another to lift him up.
¹¹ Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one be warm [alone]?
¹² And if a man prevail against him that is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
¹³ Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth not how to receive admonition any more.
¹⁴ For out of prison he came forth to be king; yea, even in his kingdom he was born poor.
¹⁵ I saw all the living that walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the second, that stood up in his stead.
¹⁶ There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was: yet they that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Ecclesiastes - basic english

Chapter 4

¹ And again I saw all the cruel things which are done under the sun; there was the weeping of those who have evil done to them, and they had no comforter: and from the hands of the evil-doers there went out power, but they had no comforter.
² So my praise was for the dead who have gone to their death, more than for the living who still have life.
³ Yes, happier than the dead or the living seemed he who has not ever been, who has not seen the evil which is done under the sun.
⁴ And I saw that the cause of all the work and of everything which is done well was man's envy of his neighbour. This again is to no purpose and a desire for wind.
⁵ The foolish man, folding his hands, takes the flesh of his body for food.
⁶ One hand full of rest is better than two hands full of trouble and desire for wind.
⁷ Then I came back, and I saw an example of what is to no purpose under the sun.
⁸ It is one who is by himself, without a second, and without son or brother; but there is no end to all his work, and he has never enough of wealth. For whom, then, am I working and keeping myself from pleasure? This again is to no purpose, and a bitter work.
⁹ Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their work.
¹⁰ And if one has a fall, the other will give him a hand; but unhappy is the man who is by himself, because he has no helper.
¹¹ So again, if two are sleeping together they are warm, but how may one be warm by himself?
¹² And two attacked by one would be safe, and three cords twisted together are not quickly broken.
¹³ A young man who is poor and wise is better than a king who is old and foolish and will not be guided by the wisdom of others.
¹⁴ Because out of a prison the young man comes to be king, though by birth he was only a poor man in the kingdom.
¹⁵ I saw all the living under the sun round the young man who was to be ruler in place of the king.
¹⁶ There was no end of all the people, of all those whose head he was, but they who come later will have no delight in him. This again is to no purpose and desire for wind.