Read the Bible

¹ Again, I observed all the acts of oppression being done under the sun.^(C1) Look at the tears of those who are oppressed; they have no one to comfort them. Power is with those who oppress them; they have no one to comfort them. ² So I commended the dead,^(C1) who have already died, more than the living, who are still alive. ³ But better than either of them is the one who has not yet existed,^(C1) who has not seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.

The Loneliness of Wealth

⁴ I saw that all labor and all skillful work is due to one person’s jealousy of another.^(C1) This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.^(F1)(C2)

⁷ Again, I saw futility under the sun: ⁸ There is a person without a companion,^(F1) without even a son or brother, and though there is no end to all his struggles, his eyes are still not content with riches.^(C1) “Who am I struggling for,” he asks, “and depriving myself of good things?” This too is futile and a miserable task.

⁹ Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. ¹⁰ For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up. ¹¹ Also, if two lie down together, they can keep warm; but how can one person alone keep warm?^{(C1) 12} And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.

¹³ Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer pays attention to warnings.^{(C1) 14} For he came from prison to be king,^(C1) even though he was born poor in his kingdom. ¹⁵ I saw all the living, who move about under the sun, follow^(F1) a second youth who succeeds him. ¹⁶ There is no limit to all the people who were before them, yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.^(C1)