American Standard Version - King James Version

 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.

 4:1 ¶ So Iº returned,ºº and consideredººº allº the oppressionsº thatº are doneºº underº the sun:º and beholdº the tearsº of [such as were] oppressed,ººº and they had noº comforter;ºº and on the sideºº of their oppressorsºº [there was] power;º but they had noº comforter.ºº

 4:2 Wherefore I praised the dead that have been long dead more than the living that are yet alive;

 4:2 Wherefore Iº praisedººº the deadºº which are alreadyºº deadºº more thanº the livingº whichºº are yetº alive.º

 4:3 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.

 4:3 Yea, betterº [is he] than bothºº they,º whichº hath notº yetº been,º whoº hath notº seenººº the evilº workº thatº is doneºº underº the sun.º

 4:4 ¶ 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.

 4:4 ¶ Again, Iº consideredººº allº travail,º and everyº rightº work,º thatº for thisº a manº is enviedº of his neighbour.ºº Thisº [is] alsoº vanityº and vexationº of spirit.º

 4:5 The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.

 4:5 The foolº foldethºº his handsº together,ºººº and eatethººº his own flesh.º

 4:6 Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and striving after wind.

 4:6 Betterº [is] an handfulººº [with] quietness,º than both the handsº fullºº [with] travailº and vexationº of spirit.º

 4:7 ¶ Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

 4:7 ¶ Then Iº returned,ºº and I sawºº vanityº underº the sun.º

 4:8 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.

 4:8 There isº oneº [alone], and [there is] notº a second;º yea,º he hath neitherº childº nor brother:º yet [is there] noº endº of allº his labour;º neitherº is his eyeº satisfiedºº with riches;º neither [saith he], For whomº do Iº labour,º and bereaveººº my soulº of good?ºº Thisº [is] alsoº vanity,º yea, itº [is] a soreº travail.º

 4:9 ¶ Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.

 4:9 ¶ Twoº [are] betterº thanº one;º becauseº they haveº a goodº rewardº for their labour.º

 4:10 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.

 4:10 Forº ifº they fall,ºº the oneº will lift upººº his fellow:º but woeº to him [that is] aloneº when he falleth;ººº for [he hath] notº anotherº to help him up.ºº

 4:11 Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one be warm [alone]?

 4:11 Again,º ifº twoº lie together,ºº then they have heat:ºº but howº can oneº be warmºº [alone]?

 4:12 And if a man prevail against him that is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

 4:12 And ifº oneº prevailºº againstº him, twoº shall withstandººº him; and a threefoldºº cordº is notº quicklyº broken.ºº

 4:13 ¶ Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth not how to receive admonition any more.

 4:13 ¶ Betterº [is] a poorº and a wiseº childº than an oldº and foolishº king,ºº whoº willºº noº moreº be admonished.ºº

 4:14 For out of prison he came forth to be king; yea, even in his kingdom he was born poor.

 4:14 Forº out of prisonºººº he comethºº to reign;ºº whereasº alsoº [he that is] bornºº in his kingdomº becometh poor.ºº

 4:15 I saw all the living that walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the second, that stood up in his stead.

 4:15 I consideredººº allº the livingº which walkºº underº the sun,º withº the secondº childº thatº shall stand upºº in his stead.º

 4:16 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.

 4:16 [There is] noº endº of allº the people,º [even] of allº thatº have beenº beforeº them: they alsoº that come afterº shall notº rejoiceºº in him. Surelyº thisº alsoº [is] vanityº and vexationº of spirit.º