Ecclesiastes 4 So I turned me, & considred al the violent wrong that is done vnder the sunne: & beholde, the teares of such as were oppressed, & there was no man to comforte them or that wolde deliuer & defende them from the violence of their oppressours.

Matthew⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ So I turned me, & considred al the violent wrong that is done vnder the sunne: & beholde, the teares of such as were oppressed, & there was no man to comforte them or that wolde deliuer & defende them from the violence of their oppressours. ² Wherfore I iudged those that are dead, to be more happy then such as be alyue: ³ yea, hym that is yet vnborne to be better at ease then they both, because he seith not the miserable workes that are done vnder the sunne. ⁴ Agayn, I sawe that all trauayle and diligence of labour was hated of euery man. This is also a vayn thinge, and a vexacion of mynde. ⁵ The foole foldeth his handes together, and eateth vp hys owne flesh. ⁶ One hand full (sayeth he) is better with rest, then bothe the handes full with labour and trauayle. ⁷ Moreouer, I turned me, & beholde yet another vanitie vnder the Sunne. ⁸ There is one man, no mo but him self alone, hauing neither childe nor brother: yet is there no ende of his carefull trauayle, hys eyes can not be satysfied with ryches, (yet doth he not remembre him selfe, & saye:) For whome do I take such trauayle? For whose pleasure do I thus consume away my lyfe? This is also a vayne & miserable thynge. ⁹ Therfore two are better then one, for they may well enioy the profyt of their labour. ¹⁰ If one of them fall, hys companion helpeth hym vp agayn: But wo is hym that is alone, for if he fall, he hathe not another to helpe hym vp. ¹¹ Agayn, when two slepe together, they are warme: but how can a body be warme alone? ¹² One maye be ouercome, but two may make resistaunce: A three folde cable is not lightly broken. ¹³ A poore chylde beynge wyse, is better then an olde kynge, that doteth, & can not beware in tyme to come. ¹⁴ Some one commeth out of pryson, & is made a kyng: and another which is born in the kyngdome, commeth vnto pouerte. ¹⁵ And I perceyued, that al men lyuyng vnder the Sunne, go with the seconde chylde, that commeth vp in the steade of the other. ¹⁶ As for the people that haue bene before hym, and that come after him, they are innumerable: yet is not their ioy the greater thorow hym. This is also a vayne thyng and a vexacion of mynde.