Ecclesiastes 4

Ecclesiastes 4:2

Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.

I did in this prefer the state of the dead before the living; for that they are out of the reach of this cruelty and oppression, which the living groan under.

Ecclesiastes 4:5

The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.

The foolish, slothful man folds his hands together, and will not work; and affamisheth himself with wilful idleness; rather choosing to starve than labour;

Ecclesiastes 4:6

Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.

And is ready to say for himself; A little with ease, is better than a great deal with toil and trouble.

Ecclesiastes 4:8

There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of his labour, &c.

I have noted a man, that is single and solitary; that hath neither wife, nor child, nor brother to whom he might leave his estate; and yet this man toils and drudges incessantly; &c.

Ecclesiastes 4:9

Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

Society is a thing of much comfort and benefit: upon every occasion, two are better than one; two are able to undertake and perform that which one cannot, and therefore may well expect a good issue of their labours.

Ecclesiastes 4:12

And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him: and a threefold cord is not easily broken.

And, if an adversary be too strong for a man alone, yet if the weaker be assisted by the strength of a second, he shall be able to withstand and overcome: and as it is thus in the society of two, so it holds in a proportion of more; a cord of two twists is strong, but if it be treble twisted it is not easily broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:13

Better is a poor and wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.

There is a great difference, betwixt a child and an old man, betwixt a king and a beggar; yet a poor child, if he be wise, is better than an old king, if he be foolish and perversely settled in wickedness.

Ecclesiastes 4:14

For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor.

For that poor wise man may, from a base and miserable condition, be advanced to highest dignity; whereas the foolish commander, that was born great, may become needy and wretched.

Ecclesiastes 4:15

I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead.

I have noted it to be the common practice of the world, even generally of all living men, that they are apt still to regard the successor, and to neglect the father, though of great desert, in comparison of the son, that shall inherit the crown after him.

Ecclesiastes 4:16

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.

The world hath ever been and ever will be thus inconstant, and disaffected to the present Government, how wise and just soever: still they, as impatient of the yoke, will be complaining of that command under which they are, and not yield to cheerful and thankful obedience as they ought.