And I returned and considered all the oppressions that are committed under the sun; and behold, tears of the oppressed, with no one to comfort them, and from the hand of their oppressors [flows the] power—with no one to comfort them.

So I returned, and considered 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.

And I again saw [(by the Holy Spirit)] all of those who are scourged [(in Gehinnom) for the deeds] which are done in exchange for the sun [of Torah]. And, behold, the tears of the oppressed, [(weeping for their souls, that are scourged by destructive angels, viz. Psalms 87:4)], and who have no consoler. And in the hand of their scourgers there is power [(which they cannot resist)]; and they have no consoler.

And so I praised the dead who already died; more than the living who are still alive.

So I praised the dead that are already dead more than the living that are yet alive;

And I praise the dead, who have already died [(before the evil inclination could gain control of them and thrust them away from the L-rd)] more than the living who are still alive.

And better than both of these is he who has not yet been born; who has not seen the evil deed that is committed under the sun.

but better than both of them is he who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

And better than both is he who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil deed which is done under the sun.

And I observed that all labor and all skillful work is the result of man’s envy of his neighbor; this, too, is vanity and vexation of spirit.

Again, I considered all labour, and every skill in work, that it comes from a man’s rivalry with his neighbour. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

And I saw all the "toil" [i.e., transgressions] and all the perfection of deed [(motivated not by fear of Heaven, but)] by the envy of one man for another — this, too, is vanity and breaking of spirit.

The fool folds his hands and eats his own flesh.

The fool folds his hands together, and eats his own flesh.

The fool [(the wicked one)] folds his hands [(in sloth and eats from theft)], and he "eats his flesh" [(on the day of judgment, witnessing the glory of the righteous and his own undoing)].

Better is a handful [earned] in contentment; than two handfuls [earned] in labor and vexation of spirit.

Better is a handful with quietness, than both the hands full of labour and striving after wind.

Better a handful of gratification [(acquiring few possessions by one's labor, which pleases the Creator)] than two handfuls of toil and breaking of spirit [(acquiring many possessions by transgression and perverseness)].

And I returned and observed [another form of] vanity under the sun.

Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.

And I again saw vanity under the sun.

There is one who is alone, with none other beside him, he has neither son nor brother; yet there is no end to his labor, neither is his eye ever satisfied with riches; [nor does he ask himself] For whom do I labor and deprive myself of goodness? this too is vanity, and an evil matter.

There is one alone, without a companion; yea, he has neither son nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches: he may say, For whom then do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity; indeed, it is a sorry business.

There is one [(who acts alone)] with no second. Neither a son [(a disciple)] nor a brother [(a companion)] has he; and there is no end to all his toil. His eye [i.e., his intellect], too, will not be sated with wealth [(learning)]. And for whom am I toiling and depriving my soul of good [(if I do not set up disciples)]? This, too, is vanity and ill conduct.

Two are better than one; because they receive a goodly reward for their work.

Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

[(In all areas,)] better the two than the one, who have goodly reward of their toil.

For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and there is no one to lift him.

For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falls; for he has not another to help him up.

For if they fall, the one will raise up his fellow; but woe to the one who falls and has no second to raise him.

Also, if two lie together they can be warm; but how can one be warm alone?

Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth: but how can one be warm alone?

Also, if two lie down together, it is warm for them; but how shall one be warmed?

And if an individual attacks, the two of them can stand against him; and the threefold cord is not quickly severed.

And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; but a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

And if the one be attacked, the two will stand up against him; and [how much more so is] the three-fold cord not quickly sundered!

Better a poor but wise child; than an old and foolish king, who no longer knows how to be vigilant.

Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who no longer knows how to take care of himself.

Better a child [(the good inclination, which asserts itself in a male at the age of thirteen)], poor [(the limbs not obeying it as they do the evil inclination)], and wise [(directing one to the way of good)], than a king [(the evil inclination, which rules over all the limbs)], old [(asserting itself from birth, viz. Genesis 4:7)] and foolish [(directing one to the way of evil)], which can no longer take heed [(having grown rooted in its ways)].

Even though he [the child] emerged from prison to be king; even though in his own kingdom he was born a pauper.

For out of prison one came forth to reign; whilst another in his royal power may become poor.

For [(in the end, men will say that)] from the prison-house has he [(the poor one)] gone forth to reign. [And it is, indeed, right that he do so,] for even in his reigning he assumes [i.e., invests himself with] humility.

I observed that all the living that walk under the sun were supportive of the young successor who stepped into his place.

I saw all the living who wander under the sun – they were with the second child who was to rise up in his stead.

I have seen all the living who walk under the sun with the second child, which arises after him.

There was no limit to all the peoples, to all of them whom he lead; even though [it is so now] those who come after [the next generation] will not rejoice in him; for this, too, is vanity and vexation of spirit.

There is no end of all the people who come to acclaim the one who goes before them: yet they who come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

There is no end to all the people, to all [the good] that was before them. The latter ones, too, will not rejoice in it. For this, too, is [the outcome of] vanity and breaking of spirit.

Guard your foot when you go to the House of God, come near and listen rather than offer sacrifices like the fools; for they do not know that they do evil.

Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God; to draw near to hearken is better than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.

Guard your feet when you go to the house of G-d [(that you bring the proper sacrifice there)]. And be close(r) to hear [(the word of G-d)] than to bring sacrifice as the fools do, [(sinning and sacrificing)]; for they know not that they do evil [thereby].