(KJV) Ecclesiastes 41

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⥃The Evil of Oppression

[1] So I returned2, and considered3 all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears4 of [such as were] oppressed, and they had5 no comforter; and on the side6 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.7 [3] Yea, better8 [is he] than both they, which hath not yet been, who9 hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

[4] Again, I considered all travail, and every10 right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This [is11] also vanity and vexation of spirit. [5] The fool12 foldeth his hands together, and eateth13 his own flesh. [6] Better [is] an handful [with] quietness, than both the hands full [with] travail and vexation of spirit.14

[7] Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.15 [8] There is one16 [alone], and [there is] not a second; yea, he hath17 neither child no18r brother: yet [is there] no end of all his labour; neither is his19 eye satisfied with riches; neither [saith he], For20 whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This [is] also vanity, yea, it [is21] a sore travail.

[9] [¶]Two [are22] better than one; because they have a good23 reward for their labour. [10] For if24 they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but25 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]?26 [12] And if27 one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a28 threefold cord is not quickly broken.

⥃The Futility of Power

[13] Better [is] a poor29 and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be30 admonished. [14] For out31 of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also32 [he that is] born in his kingdom becometh poor. [15] I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child33 that shall stand up in his stead. [16] [There is] no end34 of all the people, [even] of all that have been before them: they also35 that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this36 also [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.

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  1. Eccl 4:1, Vanity is increased unto men by oppression; Eccl 4:4, by envy; Eccl 4:5, by idleness; Eccl 4:7, by covetousness; Eccl 4:9, by solitariness; Eccl 4:13, by wilfulness. ↩

  2. Job 6:29; Mal 3:18 ↩

  3. Eccl 3:16, Eccl 5:8, Eccl 7:7; Exod 1:13-14, Exod 1:16, Exod 1:22, Exod 2:23-24, Exod 5:16-19; Deut 28:33, Deut 28:48; Judg 4:3, Judg 10:7-8; Neh 5:1-5; Job 24:7-12; Ps 10:9-10; Prov 28:3, Prov 28:15-16; Isa 5:7, Isa 51:23, Isa 59:7, Isa 59:13-15; Mal 3:5 ↩

  4. Ps 42:3, Ps 42:9, Ps 80:5, Ps 102:8-9; Mal 2:13; Jas 5:4 ↩

  5. Job 16:4, Job 19:21-22; Ps 69:20, Ps 142:4; Prov 19:7; Lam 1:2, Lam 1:9; Matt 26:56; 2Tim 4:16-17 ↩

  6. Heb. hand ↩

  7. Eccl 2:17, Eccl 9:4-6; Job 3:17-21 ↩

  8. Eccl 6:3-5; Job 3:10-16, Job 10:18-19; Jer 20:17-18; Matt 24:19; Luke 23:29 ↩

  9. Eccl 1:14, Eccl 2:17; Ps 55:6-11; Jer 9:2-3 ↩

  10. etc. Heb. all the rightness of work, that this is the envy of man from his neighbour, Gen 4:4-8, Gen 37:2-11; 1Sam 18:8-9, 1Sam 18:14-16, 1Sam 18:29-30; Prov 27:4; Matt 27:18; Acts 7:9; Jas 4:5; 1John 3:12 ↩

  11. Eccl 4:16, Eccl 1:14, Eccl 2:21, Eccl 2:26, Eccl 6:9, Eccl 6:11; Gen 37:4, Gen 37:11 ↩

  12. Prov 6:10-11, Prov 12:27, Prov 13:4, Prov 20:4, Prov 24:33-34 ↩

  13. That is, with envy (see Eccl 4:4), though too idle to follow his neighbour's example. Job 13:14; Prov 11:17; Isa 9:20 ↩

  14. Ps 37:16; Prov 15:16-17, Prov 16:8, Prov 17:1 ↩

  15. Eccl 4:1; Ps 78:33; Zech 1:6 ↩

  16. Eccl 4:9-12; Gen 2:18; Isa 56:3-5 ↩

  17. Gen 15:2-3 ↩

  18. Isa 5:8 ↩

  19. Eccl 1:8, Eccl 5:10; Prov 27:20; Hab 2:5-9; 1John 2:16 ↩

  20. Ps 39:6; Isa 44:19-20; Luke 12:20 ↩

  21. Eccl 1:13, Eccl 2:23; Isa 55:2; Matt 11:28 ↩

  22. Gen 2:18; Exod 4:14-16; Num 11:14; Prov 27:17; Hag 1:14; Mark 6:7; Acts 13:2; Acts 15:39-40; 1Cor 12:18-21 ↩

  23. Ruth 2:12; John 4:36; 2John 1:8 ↩

  24. Exod 32:2-4, Exod 32:21; Deut 9:19-20; 1Sam 23:16; 2Sam 11:27, 2Sam 12:7-14; Job 4:3-4; Isa 35:3-4; Luke 22:31-32; Gal 2:11-14, Gal 6:1; 1Thess 4:18, 1Thess 5:11 ↩

  25. Gen 4:8; 2Sam 14:6 ↩

  26. 1Kgs 1:1-2 ↩

  27. This is well illustrated by the fable of the dying father, who, to shew his sons the advantages of union, gave them a bundle of twigs, which could not be broken when bound together, but were easily snapped asunder one by one. ↩

  28. 2Sam 23:9, 2Sam 23:16, 2Sam 23:18-19, 2Sam 23:23; Dan 3:16-17; Eph 4:3 ↩

  29. Eccl 9:15-16; Gen 37:2; Prov 19:1, Prov 28:6, Prov 28:15-16 ↩

  30. Heb. knoweth not to be, 1Kgs 22:8; 2Chr 16:9-10, 2Chr 24:20-22, 2Chr 25:16 ↩

  31. This is probably an allusion to some fact with which we are unacquainted. History furnishes many instances of mean persons raised to sovereign authority, and of kings being reduced to the meanest offices, and to a morsel. Agrippa mounted the throne of Israel after having been long in prison; and similar instances are not wanting in modern times. Gen 41:14, Gen 41:33-44; Job 5:11; Ps 113:7-8 ↩

  32. 1Kgs 14:26-27; 2Kgs 23:31-34, 2Kgs 24:1-2, 2Kgs 24:6, 2Kgs 24:12, 2Kgs 25:7, 2Kgs 25:27-30; Lam 4:20; Dan 4:31 ↩

  33. 2Sam 15:6 ↩

  34. 2Sam 15:12-13; 1Kgs 1:5-7, 1Kgs 1:40, 1Kgs 12:10-16 ↩

  35. Judg 9:19-20; 2Sam 18:7-8, 2Sam 19:9 ↩

  36. Eccl 1:14, Eccl 2:11, Eccl 2:17, Eccl 2:26 ↩