Ecclesiastes 4

Ecclesiastes 4New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Again I saw all the oppressions that are practiced under the sun. Look, the tears of the oppressed—with no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power—with no one to comfort them. And I thought the dead, who have already died, more fortunate than the living, who are still alive; but better than both is the one who has not yet been, and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.

Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from one person’s envy of another. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

Fools fold their hands
    and consume their own flesh.
Better is a handful with quiet
    than two handfuls with toil,
    and a chasing after wind.

Again, I saw vanity under the sun: the case of solitary individuals, without sons or brothers; yet there is no end to all their toil, and their eyes are never satisfied with riches. “For whom am I toiling,” they ask, “and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vanity and an unhappy business.

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help. Again, if two lie together, they keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone? And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one. A threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king, who will no longer take advice. One can indeed come out of prison to reign, even though born poor in the kingdom. I saw all the living who, moving about under the sun, follow that youth who replaced the king; there was no end to all those people whom he led. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

A short chapter with lots of proverbial types of admonitions and advice.

And hard stuff to hear I think in some ways with our modern (or post-modern) sensibilities.

In here we have a mash up of the nature of work and pleasure. Of the nature of companionship.

And again a return to the idea of the vaporous effect of life.

So what do we do with it?

He is rather harsh on the single individual. And we could dismiss this easily since we live in a different time.

But is there a larger message of community here that we can still value as important?

And through relationship itself do we find meaning?

Studies show that most people today meet their life partners at work (or school). So literally today "toil" and "pleasure" are inexorably connected.

Relationship matters. It matters for the single person. It matters for the couple. For the family. For the work mates. For the school mates.

For the neighbors. For the members of the community.

Relationship matters. It matters to God that we have community for love, comfort, companionship, and co-workers with us in the business of life.

What relationships are the ones that most impact you?

Lord of relationship, you know it is not good for us to be alone. Help me today to reach out to those on the journey with me! Amen.