The Existence of Oppression in the World Makes Human Existence Miserable

4 I looked again, and I saw all the oppression that occurs under the sun.

• I saw the tears of the oppressed—
  • no one comforts them!
• Those who oppress them are powerful—
  • no one can comfort them ![fn]
• 2 So I deemed the dead who have already died
  • more fortunate than the living who are still alive.
• 3 But better off than both of them is the one who has not yet been born
  • and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.
    

People Need Balance in Their Approach to Labor

4 I also realized that all of the toil and all of the skillful work that is done—it is envy between one man and ⌊another⌋.[fn] This also is vanity and chasing wind!

• 5 The fool refuses to work with his hands,
  • so he has nothing to eat except his own skin ![fn]
• 6 Better is one handful with peace
  • than two fists full with toil and chasing wind.
    

Wealth without Someone with Which to Enjoy It is Futile

7 I turned again and saw another vanity under the sun. 8 Sometimes a man is all alone with no companion; he also has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eye is not satisfied with wealth. He laments, “For whom am I toiling and depriving ⌊myself⌋[fn] of pleasure?” This also is vanity—it is an unhappy business!