Chuándàoshū 4:9

9 Liǎng gèrén zǒng bǐ yī gèrén hǎo , yīnwei èr rén laólù tóng dé mĕihǎo de guǒ xiào .

Chuándàoshū 4:9 Meaning and Commentary

Ecclesiastes 4:9

Two [are] better than one
The wise man takes occasion, from the solitariness Of the covetous man before described, to show in this and some following verses the preferableness and advantages of social life; which, as it holds true in things natural and civil, so in things spiritual and religious; man is a sociable creature, was made to be so; and it was the judgment of God, which is according to truth, and who can never err, that it was not good for man to be alone, ( Genesis 2:18 ) . It is best to take a wife, or at least to have a friend or companion, more or less to converse with. Society is preferable to solitariness; conversation with a friend is better than to be always alone; the Targum is,

``two righteous men in a generation are better than one;''

such may be helpful to each other in their counsels and comforts, and mutual aids and assistances in things temporal and spiritual. The Midrash interprets this of the study in the law together, and of two that trade together, which is better than studying or trading separately; because they have a good reward for their labour;
the pleasure and profit they have in each other's company and conversation; in religious societies, though there is a labour in attendance on public worship, in praying and conferring together, in serving one another in love, and bearing one another's burdens, yet they have a good reward in it all; they have the presence of Christ with them, for, where two or three are met together in his name, he is with them; and whatsoever two of them agree to ask in his name they have it; and if two of them converse together about spiritual things, it is much if he does not make a third with them; besides they have a great deal of pleasure in each other's company, and much profit in their mutual instructions, advices, and reproofs; they sharpen each other's countenances, quicken and comfort each other's souls, establish one another in divine truth, and strengthen each other's hands and hearts.

Chuándàoshū 4:9 In-Context

7 Wǒ yòu zhuǎn niàn , jiàn rì guāng zhī xià yǒu yī jiàn xū kōng de shì .

8 Yǒu rén gū dān wú èr , wú zǐ , wú xiōng , jìng laólù bù xī , yǎnmù yĕ bù yǐ qiáncái wéi zú . ( tā shuō ) wǒ laó laólù lù , kè kǔ zìjǐ , bù xiǎng fú lè , dàodǐ shì wéi shuí ne . zhè yĕ shì xū kōng , shì jí zhòng de laókǔ .

9 Liǎng gèrén zǒng bǐ yī gèrén hǎo , yīnwei èr rén laólù tóng dé mĕihǎo de guǒ xiào .

10 Ruò shì diēdǎo , zhè rén kĕyǐ fú qǐ tāde tóngbàn . ruò shì gū shēn diēdǎo , méiyǒu biérén fú qǐ tā lái . zhè rén jiù yǒu huò le .

11 Zaìzhĕ , èr rén tóng shuì , jiù dōu nuǎnhuo . yī rén dú shuì , zĕn néng nuǎnhuo ne .