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Ecclesiastes 4 (TNIV)

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¹ ² And I declared that the dead, who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive. ³ But better than both is the one who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun. ⁴ And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person's envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. ⁵ Fools fold their hands and ruin themselves. ⁶ Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind. ⁷ Again I saw something meaningless under the sun: ⁸ ⁹ Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: ¹⁰ If they fall down, they can help each other up. But pity those who fall and have no one to help them up! ¹¹ Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? ¹² Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. ¹³ Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning. ¹⁴ The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. ¹⁵ I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king's successor. ¹⁶ There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.