New Revised Standard NRS
New International Version NIV
1 Again I saw all the oppressions that are practiced under the sun. Look, the tears of the oppressed—with no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power—with no one to comfort them.
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Again I looked and saw all the oppression 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.
2 And I thought the dead, who have already died, more fortunate than the living, who are still alive;
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And I declared that the dead, who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive.
3 but better than both is the one who has not yet been, and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.
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But better than both is the one who has never been born, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.
4 Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from one person's envy of another. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
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And 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.
5 Fools fold their hands and consume their own flesh.
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Fools fold their hands and ruin themselves.
6 Better is a handful with quiet than two handfuls with toil, and a chasing after wind.
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Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.
7 Again, I saw vanity under the sun:
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Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:
8 the case of solitary individuals, without sons or brothers; yet there is no end to all their toil, and their eyes are never satisfied with riches. "For whom am I toiling," they ask, "and depriving myself of pleasure?" This also is vanity and an unhappy business.
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There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content 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!
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.
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Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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