Get Ready
What is the best part of your current work? What aspect of your work is the least favorable? What changes would you make in your job if you could? Would you switch to a different type of work if you could? What kind of work do you usually volunteer for?
The Word
4Again 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. 2 And I thought the dead, who have already died, 3f0e0more fortunate than the living, who are still alive;
3 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.
4 Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from one person’s envy of another. This also is meaningless and a chasing after wind.
5 Fools fold their hands
and consume their own flesh.
6 Better is a handful with quiet
than two handfuls with toil,
and a chasing after wind.
7 Again, I saw it was meaningless under the sun: 8 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 meaningless and an unhappy business.
The Value of a Friend
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10 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. 11 Again, if two lie together, they keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone? 12 And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one. A threefold cord is not quickly broken.
13 Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king, who will no longer take advice. 14 One can indeed come out of prison to reign, even though born poor in the kingdom. 15 I saw all the living who, moving about under the sun, follow that youth who replaced the king; 16 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 meaningless and a chasing after wind. NRSV
Get into the Word
1. What does the author discuss first? How does he feel about this situation? What does he conclude about it?
2. What does the writer say about reasons for working? Is one better than the other? What are the consequences of not working? Of too much work? Of working only for one’s self?
3. How about working together? What does Solomon say about this idea? What examples does he use? How do you respond to these examples? What is even better?
4. What is the last contrast that Solomon draws? Which is better in his mind? Why does he feel this way? How do you feel about his conclusion?
Get Personal
Martin Luther considered all work to be valuable to God, whether in the kitchen, a factory, a schoolroom, or a church? How has God helped you understand the value of your work in your walk with Christ? How about in the lives of others?
Notes . . .
4:1. Oppression — the Hebrew word refers to any affliction a person might suffer, to self, property or reputation.
4:2. I thought — Solomon sees despair as the only possible response to the injustice and oppression that is so common in this world. For him it was better to not be born and have to experience (“seen”) the evil of this world.
4:4. Toil and skill . . . envy — without the sense of purpose that God gives to a person’s life, there is no real motive to work hard; the substitute is working to be better than one’s neighbors.
4:5-6. Solomon compares two proverbs. The first looks at the consequences of not working (the Hebrew for “ruin” literally means “eat their own flesh”). The second notes the value of realizing when one has “enough.”
4:7-8. Solomon finds selfishness and greed no better than envy. Such a person gives up any chance of pleasure now in order to get as much as possible; but
the wealth doesn’t bring enjoyment either.
4:9. Two are better — the author now looks at the idea of working together with other people and cites three advantages: support, warmth and protection (God thought so as well, check Genesis 2:18-19). Solomon expressed the same idea in Proverbs: as iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend, [27:17]. He concludes that three together is even better than two.
4:13. Better — Solomon provides another contrast, between a young person with wisdom but no money, and an older person with power but no wisdom. Solomon concludes the first is better because power and popularity are transitory. (Andy Warhol, an artist in the second half of the twentieth century, said every person was striving for their “fifteen minutes of fame.” With even more modern technology the “fame” can be world-wide but gone in fifteen seconds.)
Memory Verse
And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one. A threefold cord is not quickly broken, [Eccl 4:12]
Next Lesson
Reverence, humility, and contentment — Eccl 5