1. And I have turned, and I see all the oppressions that are done under the sun, and lo, the tear of the oppressed, and they have no comforter; and at the hand of their oppressors [is] power, and they have no comforter.
2. And I am praising the dead who have already died above the living who are yet alive.
3. And better than both of them [is] he who hath not yet been, in that he hath not seen the evil work that hath been done under the sun.
4. And I have seen all the labour, and all the benefit of the work, because for it a man is the envy of his neighbour. Even this [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.
5. The fool is clasping his hands, and eating his own flesh:
6. `Better [is] a handful [with] quietness, than two handfuls [with] labour and vexation of spirit.'
7. And I have turned, and I see a vain thing under the sun:
8. There is one, and there is not a second; even son or brother he hath not, and there is no end to all his labour! His eye also is not satisfied with riches, and [he saith not], `For whom am I labouring and bereaving my soul of good?' Thisalso is vanity, it is a sad travail.
9. The two [are] better than the one, in that they have a good reward by their labour.