OET ECC chapter 4

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4 Then I turned and I saw all the oppression around the world,

and, look, see the tears of the oppressed

but there was no one to comfort them.

The oppressors exerted their power against them,

but there was no one to comfort the oppressed.

2 So I praised those who were dead—who’ve already died,

more than the living—those who are still alive.

3 But better than both of them, is the one who hasn’t yet lived—

who hasn’t seen the evil things that are being done in this world.

4 Then I noticed all the skills used and the work that gets done,

but also saw that it raised the envy of others.

That is also pointless and chasing after the wind.

5 The fool folds his hands together instead of working

and ends up ruining himself.

6 A small handful of quietness is better

than two very full handfuls of work and chasing after the wind.

7 Then I turned and I saw a pointless thing in this world:

8 Sometimes there’s a person living alone without a child or a relative, who works hard without stopping.

However, wealth doesn’t satisfy them because they wonder why they’re working so hard and not sitting down to enjoy their good things.

That also is pointless, and it’s an unpleasant business.

9 Two people are better than one.

because their working together can give a better result.

10 Yes, if they fall, one person can help his companion up,

but it wouldn’t end so well if one person falls alone

and there’s no second person to help them.

11 Similarly, if two people lie down together, they can help each other stay warm,

but how can one person stay warm by themself?

12 And even if one person would be easily overpowered,

two people could stand against an attacker.

A three-stranded rope can’t be easily broken.

13 A poor but wise youth is better off

than an old but foolish king who can’t accept advice,

14 because coming from a family who’d spent time in prison, he made it to become king—yet even in his kingdom he was born poor.

15 I saw all those walking around in this world with the next child who will rule after him—

16 there was no end to all the people who’ve ruled before them.

Even the ones who follow him won’t speak kindly about him,

because even that is pointless and chasing after the wind.

4 And_I _returned I and_I _saw DOM all _of the_oppression(s) which were _being_done under the_sun and_see/lo/see the _tear[s]_of the _oppressed and_there_was_not to/for_them a _comforter and_was_from_the _hand _of their _oppressors power and_there_was_not to/for_them a _comforter.
2 And_I _commended I DOM the _dead_people who_already they _had _died more _than the_living who they were_alive still.
3 And_good more_than _of_both _of _them DOM one_who still not he _has _been one_who not he _has _seen DOM the_activity (the)_evil which it _is _done under the_sun.
4 And_I _considered I DOM all _of the_toil and_DOM all _of the _skill _of the _work (cmp) it is_envy _of everyone from_his _of_neighbour also this is_futility and_striving _of wind.
5 The_fool is_folding DOM hands _of_his and_he_is_eating DOM flesh _of_his _own.
6 is_good the_fullness _of a _palm _of quietness more_than_the_fullness _of the_hollow _of _hands toil and_striving _of wind.
7 And_I _returned I and_I _saw futility under the_sun.
8 There_was one_person and_there_was_not a _second_person also a _son and_a _brother there_belonged_not to_him/it and_there_was_not an _end to/from_all/each/any/every toil _of_his also eye _of_his[fn] not it _was _satisfied wealth and_for_whom am_I toiling and_depriving DOM self _of_my from_good also this is_futility and_is_a _business evil it.
9 are_good (the)_two_people more _than the_one that there_is to/for_them a _reward good for_their _of_toil.
10 If/because if they _will _fall _down the_one he _will _raise DOM companion _of_his and_woe_to_him the_one who_he _will _fall _down and_there_is_not a _second_person to_raise_him.
11 Also if they _will _lie _down two_people and_it _will _be _warm to/for_them and_to_one_person how will _it _be _warm.
12 And_if someone_will _overpower _him the_one the _two_people they _will _stand before_him and_the_thread (the)_threefold not (in)_quickly it _will _be _torn _apart.
13 is_good a _youth poor and_wise more_than _a _king old and_a _fool who not he _knows to_be _warned still.
14 If/because from_the _house _of the _prisoners he _came _out to_become _king if/because also in_his _own _of_kingdom he _had _been _born poor.
15 I _saw DOM all _of the_living who_are_walking _about under the_sun with the_youth the_second who he _will _arise in_place _of _him.
16 There_is_not an _end to/from_all/each/any/every the_people to_all/each/any/every those_whom he _was before_them also the _subsequent_people not they _will _rejoice in_him/it if/because also this is_futility and_a _striving _of wind.

Open English Translation ECC Chapter 4

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