The Wisdom of Ecclesiastes: Relationship

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. ~ Ecclesiastes 4

No road is long with good company. ~ Turkish proverb

What words or ideas jump out here?
Oppression? Envy? Toil?
Relationship?
In here we have a mash up of the nature of work and pleasure. And of how oppressors oppress. Of how workers can be envious. 
And of the nature of companionship.
With our human tendencies to often live for ourselves, to become bitter or lonely if left only to our own devices, is it through relationship itself that we find meaning?
Studies show that people today tend 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.
To those who are lonely, bitter, angry, jealous, relationships can pull them toward wholeness and life.
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?

Prayer: 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.

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