Ecclesiastes 4 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

Then I turned and saw all the oppression happening under the sun — the tears of the oppressed, with no one to comfort them. Power belonged to those crushing them, and there was no one to comfort them.

So I declared the dead — already gone — more fortunate than the living who still have to endure it.

But better than both is the one who has never existed — who has never seen the terrible things done under the sun.

Then I saw that all hard work and all skillful effort come from one person's envy of another. This too is vapor — like chasing the wind.

The fool folds his hands together and wastes away.

Better one handful with peace than two fistfuls with hard work and chasing the wind.

Then I turned and saw something else that was vapor under the sun:

There's a person who is completely alone — no partner, no child — yet there's no end to all his hard work, and his eyes are never satisfied with wealth. "Who am I working so hard for, and why am I depriving myself of good things?" This too is vapor — a miserable way to spend your life.

Two are better than one, because they get a good return for their hard work.

If one falls, the other can lift their companion up. But how terrible for the one who falls and has no one to help them up.

Also, if two lie down together, they keep warm — but how can one person stay warm alone?

And if someone overpowers one person, two can stand against the attacker. A rope braided from three strands is not easily snapped.

A poor but wise young person is better off than an old, foolish king who no longer knows how to take advice.

For that young person came out of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in the kingdom he would rule.

I saw everyone alive, everyone walking around under the sun, rally behind that second young person who would take the king's place.

There was no end to all the people he led. Yet those who come after won't celebrate him either. This too is vapor — like chasing the wind.