Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes or, the Preacher, chapter 4, Vulgate and King James Version

Chapter 4 Vulgate

   1 Verti me ad alia et vidi calumnias, quae sub sole geruntur, et ecce lacrimae oppressorum, et nemo consolator; et ex parte opprimentium violentia, et nemo consolator.
   2 Et laudavi magis mortuos, qui iam defuncti sunt, quam viventes, qui adhuc vitam agunt,
   3 et feliciorem utroque iudicavi, qui necdum natus est nec vidit opera mala, quae sub sole fiunt.
   4 Rursum contemplatus sum omnes labores et omnem successum operis, et hoc esse zelum in proximum suum. Et in hoc ergo vanitas et afflictio spiritus.
   5 Stultus complicat manus suas et comedit carnes suas.
   6 Melior est pugillus cum requie quam plena utraque manus cum labore et afflictione spiritus.
   7 Iterum repperi et aliam vanitatem sub sole:
   8 unus est et secundum non habet, non filium, non fratrem, et tamen laborare non cessat, nec satiantur oculi eius divitiis, nec recogitat dicens: "Cui laboro et fraudo animam meam bonis?". In hoc quoque vanitas est et occupatio pessima.
   9 Melius est duos esse simul quam unum: habent enim emolumentum in labore suo,
   10 quia si unus ceciderit, ab altero fulcietur. Vae soli! Cum ceciderit, non habet sublevantem se.
   11 Insuper, si dormierint duo, fovebuntur mutuo; unus quomodo calefiet?
   12 Et, si quispiam praevaluerit contra unum, duo resistent ei. Et fu niculus triplex non cito rumpitur.
   13 Melior est puer pauper et sapiens rege sene et stulto, qui iam nescit erudiri.
   14 Ille enim de domo carceris exivit, ut regnaret, etiamsi in regno istius natus sit pauper.
   15 Vidi cunctos viventes, qui ambulant sub sole, cum adulescente illo secundo, qui consurgebat pro eo.
   16 Infinitus numerus erat populi, omnium, quos ipse praecedebat; sed qui postea futuri sunt, non laetabuntur in eo. Et hoc vanitas et afflictio spiritus.
   17 Custodi pedem tuum ingrediens domum Dei, nam accedere, ut audias, melius est quam cum stulti offerunt victimas: multo enim melior est oboedientia quam stultorum victimae, qui nesciunt se malum facere.

King James Version

   1 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.
   2 Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.
   3 Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
   4 ¶ Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
   5 The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
   6 Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.
   7 Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.
   8 There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.
   9 ¶ Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
   10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
   11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?
   12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
   13 ¶ Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.
   14 For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor.
   15 I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead.
   16 There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.