Then I looked again at futility under the sun. There was a man without a [a]dependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, (A)his eyes were not satisfied with riches, and he never asked, “And (B)for whom do I labor and deprive myself of pleasure?” This too is futility, and it is an (C)unhappy task.

Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor; 10 for if [b]either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not [c]another to lift him up! 11 Furthermore, if two lie down together they [d]keep warm, but (D)how can one be warm alone? 12 And if [e]one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 4:8 Lit second
  2. Ecclesiastes 4:10 Lit they fall
  3. Ecclesiastes 4:10 Lit a second
  4. Ecclesiastes 4:11 Lit have warmth
  5. Ecclesiastes 4:12 Lit he

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