Two are Better than One
There was a man all alone;
he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
yet his eyes were not content
with his wealth.
“For whom am I toiling,” he asked,
“and why am I depriving myself
of enjoyment?”
This too is meaningless—
a miserable business!
Two are better than one,
because they have a good return
for their labor:
If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
Also, if two lie down together,
they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
In Ecclesiastes, the Teacher is searching for meaning, but he only finds meaninglessness around every corner. A major theme is that work/toil is meaningless. In chapter two, he enumerates all that he has worked for and achieved, but none of these things brings him the meaning he desires. Not only do these accomplishments fail to satisfy, he is tormented with the thought that when he dies they will be left to someone who has not worked for it.
He is almost schizophrenic in his thinking. On the one hand he suggests that taking satisfaction in one’s work is as good as it gets. However, he feels no satisfaction in his own work.
In chapter four, he suggests that a man who has no heir, business partner, or brother to share in his labor is in the same situation. He is alone, toiling away, for nothing. It is also meaningless.
This is where we find the beautiful “Two are Better than One” poem. It speaks to the human need for relationships. Join us Sunday as we discuss our need for relationships.
— Joey
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