Ecclesiastes 4:2-13

²Therefore I praised the dead who have been long dead more than the living who are yet alive.

³Yes, better than them both is him who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

⁴Then I saw all the labor and achievement that is the envy of a man’s neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

⁵The fool folds his hands together and ruins himself.

⁶Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and chasing after wind.

⁷Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

⁸There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. “For whom then do I labor and deprive my soul of enjoyment?” This also is vanity. Yes, it is a miserable business.

⁹Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.

¹⁰For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and doesn’t have another to lift him up.

¹¹Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one keep warm alone?

¹²If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

¹³Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who doesn’t know how to receive admonition any more.